Recruited
by LittleApril
Summary: Anna Wellington is Stark Industries' top Systems and Technical Analyst, second only to Stark himself. And then SHIELD intervened. Steve/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Recruited - Chapter One**

"Good evening, Miss Wellington."

Anna Wellington smiled at the doorman as she entered the lobby of Stark Industries' Manhattan Offices. She flashed her identification card at the scanner and, upon hearing the machine's signature buzz of affirmation, she crossed the threshold into the building. "Morning, James," she greeted, plucking a white mocha-filled paper cup from the holder cradled in her arms. "Here," said Anna, placing the cup of steaming caffeine in his outstretched hand. "One tuxedo mocha topped with cinnamon."

The Offices late-night doorman, James Hill, flashed her a smile as he accepted the warm beverage. He placed the cup to his lips and took a slow sip. "It's three-thirty in the morning, and you found an open coffee shop?" He raised a thick black brow.

"One of my best kept secrets," quipped Anna, a small but friendly grin tugging at her lips. "Shouldn't you be more surprised at the fact that it's three-thirty…," she glanced at the large digital clock flashing below the building's high ceiling, "three-thirty-five in the morning and I'm casually strolling into work?"

The man shrugged his shoulders. "With anyone else, yes. With _you_? Not at all. What's got you here so late?"

The analyst let out a small sigh, and she pushed back the wayward strands of copper coloured hair. "I just need to go over some of the reports and make sure they're correct before sending them to Stark himself. I shouldn't be too long," she explained, waving a hand in goodbye as she strode toward the elevator.

Anna punched the button for the sixty-seventh floor and waited for the elevator to chime. Once the doors opened, she stepped inside and placed her thumb upon the scanner built into the elevator's doors. The scanner's screen flickered to life and she followed the instructions, letting the scanner read her prints. As the lift soared to the sixty-seventh floor, Anna entertained herself by checking her phone for any new messages. Realising she had a new e-mail from Tony Stark, she hurriedly pushed the 'read' button as the elevator doors opened for a second time, revealing the desired floor.

The twenty-seven-year-old stepped out of the elevator and walked along the corridor, the motion-sensor lights flickering on along the way.

_"Good morning, Miss Wellington. Might I be able to assist you?" _

"Morning, JARVIS," said Anna, trying to fight back a yawn as she let the scan pad outside her office door conduct the retinal scan. She blinked repeatedly as the light dazed her momentarily, and pushed open the door to the office.

JARVIS, _Just A Rather Very Intelligent System_, one of Stark's cleverest inventions, had been installed three months previous. The AI was for the sixty-seventh floor only, a belated birthday present from Stark to Anna on her twenty-seventh birthday. The installation allowed Anna and Stark to communicate efficiently and effectively; as Stark Industries' top technical analyst, Anna was constantly on call with Stark or Virginia Potts.

"JARVIS, is Tony awake?" asked Anna, waving the magic mouse of the computer around on her mahogany desk. She smiled as the screen flashed to life, and she tapped in her passwords and answers to the security questions in place. "The e-mail I received sounded pretty urgent. Is everything OK?"

_"One moment, please," _came the AI's voice. A minute later, JARVIS returned. _"Mr. Stark is on line two, Miss."_

"Thanks," said Anna, pressing the 'accept call' button on the speakerphone. "Tony?"

"Good," came the man's smooth voice, "you're awake."

"You do know there is a three hour time difference from New York to Malibou, right? It may be just past midnight there, but it's three in the morning here."

"What's the problem? You were awake."

"Well maybe I was going to go to sleep," countered Anna, refraining from rolling her eyes.

A pause. "Were you?"

"Well, no, but-"

"See, you weren't going to go to sleep. Anyway, sunshine,-" Anna rolled her eyes at the nickname, "-I have some figures I want you to look at. It's important that we get these done straight away. I'm going to be pretty pressed for time in the next few weeks."

The glass screen to the right of her desk was soon flooded with digital images and numbers. Anna watched as the numbers and equations crowded the digital display when one particular equation caught her eye. Moving from behind the desk, Anna crossed over toward the display and tapped the turquoise coloured equation with three fingers, dragging it over to the glass display opposite.

"See the problem?" questioned Stark.

"I'm looking at _a _problem," murmured Anna, mulling over the numbers in her head, "but I don't know if it's _the_ problem. Have you ran the information through screens eight to four-hundred-and-nineteen?"

"Twice."

"Huh," hummed Anna, biting at her bottom lip. The first half of the code looked to be in order, but this one particular problem had her head in a spin. "I'll try the other screens to see if anything pops up. What's this code for anyway?"

"Do you really want to know?" laughed Stark, his voice crackling down the line.

"I guess not," breathed Anna, whilst her thoughts flitted back to Stark's earlier words. "You're going to be pressed for time? Finally taking Miss Potts out on the dates you promised her?"

"Speaking of dates," said the male, avoiding Anna's question with one of his own, "how'd the date go with Marshall?"

Anna frowned. "The guy from the mechanics department? How did you know about that?"

"I may have put in a pretty good word about my favourite top analyst," came Stark's response.

"I'm your _only_ top analyst, Tony. And, please," said the woman as she continued to stare at the equations, "stop trying to set me up on dates, OK? I'm perfectly OK with being single."

"Oh, please," scoffed Stark. "I've known you since you were twenty-two and fresh out of college looking for a job, and I've seen you date, what, maybe two guys since then?"

Anna ignored his remark and tapped the equation twice, watching as it split into its previous forms. She studied it for a moment in silence before dragging screens one to six beside it. She placed the equation inside the screens, and she turned back to the phone. "I'm scanning it through again in its simpler forms to see if we missed anything, but I doubt it."

"OK, sunshine. I'm going to finish off working on this project for the newly improved suit. JARVIS," commanded Stark, "make sure Anna is not to be bothered unless it's for coffee or someone asking her out on a date, OK? I'll talk to you later." And the connection ended.

Smiling despite herself, Anna sank back in her chair. "You can forget about that last bit, JARVIS."

"_Of course, Miss Wellington."_

* * *

It was now 11:08am, and Anna was exhausted. She lay slumped against the office floor, staring up at the digital boards with a sour expression cast upon her face. She had sent the equation through seven hundred of the screens and come up naught. With what little information Stark had given her, she was at a loss. Despite her Masters degree in Information Systems, and her Doctoral degree in Computer and Mathematical Science from New York University, Anna felt defeated.

And then it clicked.

She knew why the equation wasn't being recognised, and she quickly tapped out an e-mail to Stark, briefing her findings in a short message.

_Coffee_, thought the analyst. _I need coffee. _

Yawning, she exited the office and trudged along the hallway. She was the only Stark Ind. employee with access to this particular floor, so she had complete use of the coffee room. Pouring herself a cup of freshly brewed coffee - she made sure to thank JARVIS for the gesture -, Anna returned to her office and dropped the mug in surprise, unflinching as the ceramic cup smashed, and steaming brown liquid seeped into the cream carpet.

A large, well-built man sat in her desk chair, his gaze directed upon her. He wore all black, and a black-eye patch covered his left eye.

"Anna Wellington," greeted the man, watching her every move.

"JARVIS, the floor has been breached. Call Sta-," she began, her voice confident despite her initial surprise and fear.

"There is no need for that," cut in the man. "I was granted entry. Please," he said, gesturing to the seat on the opposite side of the large desk. "Take a seat."

Anna glared at the man, trying to remember the floor plans. Where was her closest emergency exit? "I'd rather stand."

"Alright," agreed the man, leaning forward now. "My name is Nick Fury, Miss Wellington."

"I've never heard of you," said Anna, folding her arms across her chest. "If it's money you want, you've come to the wrong offices. Stark's in Malibou. And as soon as I press this button here," she gestured to the smartphone in her hand, "the police and military will be called." At this, the man laughed and Anna's glare deepened.

"There will be no need for that, Anna. I am not here for Stark's money, his information or weaponry. I am here for something else entirely."

"And what's that?"

"You."

* * *

**OK, what do you think? This is my first Marvel/Captain America fanfiction, and I'm quite nervous about it.  
This chapter is to set the scene and introduce you to Anna and her involvement with Stark Industries and her relationship with Tony (quite like brother and sister). I realise Steve Rogers isn't in this chapter, but he will be making an appearance in the next chapter, I promise! **

**Once has its section for Avengers/Avengers Assemble (if you're in the UK!), I'll move this story into that section. So... please review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Recruited - Chapter Two**

Upon hearing Nick Fury's request, Anna had let out a little derisive laugh. _Her?_ she had thought. _He wanted her? _She had lapsed into silence for a moment, choosing her words carefully in her head. She questioned Fury's arrival - how could this man breach her security? How could he have passed the retinal and body mass scans without being detected? And then, as though the AI could read her thoughts, JARVIS's voice interrupted her inner turmoil with his speech.

_"Nick Fury was granted access at 11:12am via Mr. Stark, Miss Wellington. He apologises for any confusion."_

"I bet he does," muttered Anna, finally glancing back to the well-dressed man before her. "You know Tony Stark?"

A smirk clawed its way onto Fury's face. "Who doesn't?" He countered, and Anna knew he was mocking her. "The extraordinary Iron Man."

And before she could reply, Fury cut in.

"And I know you, too, Miss Wellington. I know you graduated top of your high school class at just fourteen. I know you started university through online classes here in New York City, and you completed your first Masters degree aged nineteen. You have your doctorate in Mathematical Science from NYU, and you live in lower Chelsea. Apartment 41B. Daughter to the late Jacob and Hannah Wellington." Fury paused, letting his words sink in. "I also know you're the best mathematical analyst this side of the country with no prior misdeeds or blemished records."

Anna merely stared at him in response, challenging him with her gaze. "And what is it you want me for, Mr. Fury?"

"I am in charge of a secret military operation, Miss Wellington. _Strategic Homeland Intervention_, _Enforcement _and _Logistics Division_. In short, _SHIELD_. We also go by another name, the _Strategic Action_ for _Emergencies_. I believe you may have heard of us."

"In passing, yes," said Anna, recalling Tony mentioning the organisation once or twice during conversations after his kidnapping in Afghanistan, and of the annoying sandy-haired man who kept popping up during Tony's court hearings and meetings. "You haven't answered my question, Mr. Fury. What do you want from me?"

Nick Fury folded his hands together and stared at Anna with an impassive stare. "You. We want you, Miss Wellington. We want you to work for us."

Anna shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, Mr. Fury, but no thank you. I am more than happy working for Stark Industries."

"I have it on good authority that Stark has requested for you to work with us. You are to be transferred later today."

At this, Anna's eyes widened and her jaw slackened. "_What?"_

"Tony Stark has realised that Iron Man is a very small part in what I like to call a realm, if you will, of super human beings. He will accept his role. As will you. This meeting is merely a courtesy, Miss Wellington. As of three o'clock this afternoon, you will be a part of _SHIELD_'s intimate organisation. Our senior analyst."

She glared at the man, fire caught in her stare. "How do you know I'm qualified?"

Fury nodded to the screens.

Anna balked. _It had been a test?_ Of course it had. Why else would Tony omit certain details and facts about the background of the data? She felt the growl work its way up in her throat, and she fought to keep back the onslaught of vile words to describe Tony with.

She was comfortable in Stark Industries. She knew what she was doing. And Tony expected her to follow him to _SHIELD_? To work with the men Tony had complained and fought against? It didn't make sense.

"I will take my leave of you now, Miss Wellington," declared Fury, rising from Anna's chair. "I understand Stark is waiting on the phone to speak with you."

And with those final words, Fury exited the office.

Minutes passed before Anna chose to speak. "JARVIS," she called out, balling her hands into tight fists as she snatched her bag from the floor by her digital displays. She swung the bag on her shoulder, and headed out to the door. "Tell Tony I'm taking the rest of the morning off, please."

_"Of course, Miss."_

"And let him know that the next time I see him, I won't hesitate to kill him," threatened Anna, though she knew she would do no such thing. Her hand may find itself in a collision with Stark's cheek, but the analyst was not murderous. Even JARVIS knew the threat was made in vain.

_"With pleasure, Miss Wellington." _

* * *

Four hours later, Anna found herself in Central Park. The February wind was harsh and bitter, and she tightened the plum coloured scarf around her exposed neck. She upon a bench by the Alice in Wonderland statue in Literary Walk, staring at the figure of Alice. _Maybe I am quite like Alice,_ she thought. _Instead of a rabbit hole, I've fallen into the world of secret organisations and superhuman heroes. _

The buzzing of her smartphone broke her train of thought, and Anna stared down at the sleek device. It was a clear sheet of glass no larger than the palm of her hand, its corners smooth and rounded. Tapping the glass, the phone lit up with a turquoise digital display, similar to that of the display boards back in the Offices. An envelope icon appeared in the centre of the screen, white lights glittering around it, the number '2' highlighted in a clear blue. Anna poised her finger upon the envelope, and the screen shifted.

_Annie, _she read,

_I know you're angry, but we need to talk. Pepper's staying in LA, but I'm flying into NYC now via the jet. Meet me at the airport stretch at 4. - T_

Rolling her eyes at the message, Anna sent it to the virtual trash can on the device before clicking open the second e-mail

_30 Minutes - T _

Anna glanced at the watch on her wrist and looked back at the message. She had received the e-mail four minutes ago, so she had twenty-six minutes to reach the private airport stretch. Sighing, Anna hashed out a quick reply.

_And what if I don't?_

A second buzz.

_C'mon, sunshine. Meet me at the stretch and I'll explain everything. I'll even throw in one of those weird dogs with the squished faces. - T_

_Pugs aren't weird, Tony. And since when did I mention wanting a Pug to you?_

_I had Pepper make a list of possible consolation "don't-kill-your-boss" gifts on the flight. 20 minutes. - T_

_You're impossible._

_I make the impossible possible. Or have you been living under a rock for the past four years? - T_

Anna slipped the phone back into her pocket and smiled despite herself. Since leaving the offices, she had mulled over possible answers to the questions: why had Tony suggested her? Why was Tony 'does-what-ever-he-wants' Stark bending to SHIELD's rules? And then she realised that Tony probably didn't have a choice. And if Tony Stark had no choice, she definitely didn't. The analyst vacated the bench and wandered toward the closest exit, pulling her phone out once more. Dialling the number to the Offices, she waited for someone to pick up, counting the response time.

"Stark Industries' Manhattan Offices. Kimberly Poll speaking, how may I help you today?"

"Kim, it's Anna Wellington. I'm going to need a car to take me to the airport."

"One is now on its way to you, Miss Wellington. It should be there in ten minutes."

Anna ended the call, leaving the phone on so the car could track her location via the GPS. She turned back to Literary Walk, staring at the statue once more. "Curiouser and curiouser," she murmured, walking away from the statue toward the thriving streets of Manhattan.

* * *

At the airport stretch located six miles from the centre of Manhattan, Anna watched as Tony Stark and a familiar looking sandy-haired man stepped off the jet. Raising a delicately plucked eyebrow, Anna pushed herself away from the wall she had been resting against and headed toward her boss. Upon catching sight of her, Tony waved a hand in the air and a third person stepped off the plane, holding a wriggling fawn-coloured animal in his arms.

"Do I deliver or what?" quipped Tony, staring at the analyst through the dark lenses of his sunglasses.

Anna was perplexed. "You actually bought me a puppy?"

"I said I would, didn't I?" questioned Tony, and he gestured for the small dog to be transferred to Anna's arms.

Cradling the puppy to her chest, Anna laughed as its small tongue licked at her wrist. The puppy was male, she guessed, judging by the blue bow wrapped around its middle. She, Stark and the other men walked off the tarmac back toward the private building. As they entered the building and Stark waited for his luggage, the sandy-haired man introduced himself to her.

"Miss Wellington," he began, "my name is Agent Coulson. I work for SHIELD." The man clicked his fingers, and a second agent stepped forward and snatched the puppy from Anna's arms. "There are to be no animals on the helicarrier," he explained.

"What?" blinked Anna, looking after the puppy as it was taken away.

Stark placed his hand on her shoulder, and he rolled his eyes. "I'll buy you a new puppy when you get back."

"When I get back from _where_, Tony?" asked Anna, her voice low. Agent Coulson had done nothing to get on her good side. If anything, the Agent's actions and cool demeanour had landed him safely on the analyst's bad side. She had held the puppy for less than five minutes!

"Miss Wellington," repeated Coulson, gesturing for her to follow him. "Please step this way. Mr. Stark is here for the presentation only, but at eight o'clock this evening, you will be transferred to SHIELD's helicarrier. Our flight-offices above New York. If you require anything from your home, please let our Agents know. They will be the ones to retrieve it for you." The man paused, waiting for an interruption. Anna merely glared at him. "Any questions?"

"Why me?"

"Because we are in need of a senior analyst, Miss Wellington. You have dealt with superhuman findings before, and we are looking for someone in that particular expertise. You are to be SHIELD's analyst upon the helicarrier. Your job will be to help identify objects and armoury. I also understand you have an undergraduate degree in World History. What was your specialism?"

Anna was perplexed. What did her undergrad major have to do with anything? "World War II," she replied, frowning. What was Coulson getting at? "I studied the after effects of the war on its heroes and victims. Its effects on modern Western society." Anna paused. "My main focus is on mathematical science, though," she stressed. "My undergrad was just something I was interested in. What does it have to do with anything?"

"We believe your knowledge of the Second World War may come in useful during your time aboard the helicarrier."

"I don't follow."

"Please," continued Coulson, ignoring Anna's statement. "You need to sign these documents and we can be on our way."

The woman turned back to face her boss, but Stark simply stared back at her, signalling that there was nothing he could do. The group of men in suits led the way forward to a grouping of black cars parked by the entrance to the stretch. Coulson gestured for Stark and Anna to climb in to the first car, and the SHIELD agent followed them inside. Once inside the car, Anna pulled out her smartphone and tapped a message to Tony, hoping he would be able to explain just what the hell was going on. How was he involved with these people? And what did they want?

"Please don't bother with phones, Miss Wellington. If you have any questions, please just ask."

Anna simply glared at the man, folding her arms across her chest. "I wish everyone would stop with the _Miss_," she muttered. "It's _Dr._ Wellington."

Stark's lips turned upward in a proud smirk.

"Of course, Dr. Wellington," corrected Coulson, remaining impassive.

The drive lasted no longer than forty-five minutes, but Anna felt as though she was suffering from cabin fever. The tension inside the vehicle was thick, and she did not like the thought of having her life turned upside down in a matter of hours. Pushing back her hair, the brunette frowned and tapped a slow beat with her hands on her thighs. Why was Tony so against working for SHIELD? Had he really recommended her?

The car slowed to a stop, and Coulson's smile was short-lived. "Please follow me," he instructed, opening the car door. "We have someone for you to meet."

Looking back at Tony, who she realised was not getting out of the car, Anna frowned. Pushing aside her initial fear and scepticism, Anna exited the car and walked toward Coulson who now stood with another man. This male was tall and muscular, larger than the average man. His hair was cut short and styled in a fashion Anna found to be quite old-fashioned and charming. He wore a tan leather jacket over his broad shoulders, and a white t-shirt beneath that paired with jeans and heavy brown boots. She was thankful to not be the only one not wearing a suit, having opted to wear her jeans, and favourite bottle green tunic. Her scarf flapped in the wind, and she hastily tucked it under the collar of her black winter coat.

"Dr. Wellington," said Coulson, gesturing to Anna. He moved his head to signal the male beside him. "I would like to introduce you to Steve Rogers."

* * *

**Firstly, thank you all so much for the reviews!  
********Thank you to: Cap, Ashley Dawn, LoveLive218, LeiraStarofTheSea, ILuvOdie, and KarToon12! **

**I did not expect to get so many on the story's first day, but you were all so wonderful. I'm really glad that you all like Anna and her relationship with Stark. I tried to get this across even more in this chapter. I know there was only a tiny bit of Steve in this chapter, but I'm trying to work him into the story realistically rather than him just appearing.**

**I'm hoping to get another chapter up later this week. Please Review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Recruited - Chapter Three**

Steve Rogers. The name sounded strangely familiar to her ears, and Anna shot the man a short but genuine smile. His face held a boyish look to it and, though he appeared to be no older than thirty years of age, Anna spied the worry lines etched into his expression. She regarded him in silence as the two strangers listened to Coulson's one-man conversation. The _SHIELD _agent told them that a car would arrive in a few moments, and the three of them would be transferred to SHIELD's offices on the perimeters of New York City. Later that evening, they would meet with the rest of SHIELD's team for a short debriefing before moving to the helicarrier's living quarters.

Coulson finished his speech as a black SUV with blacked-out windows halted in front of them. Coulson stepped forward. The driver lowered the driver's window, and he and Coulson conversed momentarily.

Anna dared a glance at Steve Rogers only to find that he was staring at her intently, studying her with an unreadable look on his face.

The analyst was brought out of her thoughts as Coulson cleared his throat. "We are on a very tight schedule," said the agent. "Please," he said, waving his hand to gesture to the car. Coulson waited for either of them to make the first move, and Anna blinked in surprise as Steve Rogers stepped forward, halting her in her own movement, and opened the door.

_It's true,_ thought Anna, glumly. _Chivalry is -_

She was brought out of her thoughts for a second time that afternoon, but it was Rogers who spoke. "Ma'am?" he said, questioning her with his eyes.

Anna glanced back at him to find that he was holding the door open for her. Her expression changed instantly, and the frown was erased and replaced with a surprised smile. She crept toward the car, her footsteps light, and murmured her gratitude whilst Steve offered a quiet, "After you."

Climbing into the car, Anna shifted across the seats and pulled the seatbelt over her torso, securing it together with a light 'click'. Steve slid in after her, his broad frame taking up most of the space. Steve closed the door, and the car revved to life, carrying them away to their next destination.

The tension in the vehicle was thicker than it had been with Stark. Anna pulled out her smartphone once more and hastily tapped out a second message to Stark, hoping he would reply and alleviate her concerns. As she waited for a reply, Anna worried her lip - she flicked through the phone's message interface and checked her e-mails, instant messages, and last phone calls.

Thirty seconds later, her phone buzzed with life, and a light melody played from its speakers. Cursing herself for having not put the device on silent, Anna looked apologetically at the man seated next to her, but Steve merely stared at the phone as though it was something extraordinary. Smartphones like hers would not hit store shelves for at least another decade, and she was thankful that Tony had been as kind as to gift the phone to her upon the fifth anniversary of her work at Stark Industries. It was no surprise that the phone would peak the man's interest. _Men and their gadgets, _she thought.

The brunette opened the message and stared down at Tony's reply.

_Yes, the codes were a test. I can't tell you much more than that, Annie. SHIELD say they're the good guys. It's your call on whether or not to trust them. - T_

She tapped back a message, hoping to convey her unease with the situation. _Can I get out of this? What about my rights? _

_I can get Pepper to look into it. You're the best in your field, sunshine. It's no surprise they wanted you. - T_

_And a guy named Steve Rogers. Know anything about him?_

_I'll look into it. Talk soon. - T _

Anna hit the off button on the phone and watched as the screen switched off, the device resembling a clear sheet of glass. She slipped the phone back into her pocket and looked out of the window, hoping to find familiar scenery. Opposite her, Steve Rogers did the same, staring out of the window to his right.

* * *

The rest of the journey was met with silence. Anna wrung her hands in her lap, wondering what was going to happen to her. What other superheroes were there? She had heard about the mess in New Mexico and the rumours surrounding myth and folklore, and she had read newspaper reports detailing mutant findings in Salem, but none of them had had widespread media coverage like Tony. She thought it had to do with his celebrity status, and the mass media talk of the ongoing war on terrorism.

_That's America,_ she thought. _Going to war every chance we get. _

The car rolled to a halt an hour later, and Anna was thankful to get out of the stuffy car and breathe fresh air. Outside, Coulson led the way toward a large, intimidating looking office block. He retrieved his phone from his pocket and alerted the recipient to their arrival.

Beside her, Steve Rogers eyed the building with indifference, alerting Anna to the fact that he must have been to the building before.

"Come this way," instructed Coulson, strolling inside the structure.

Again, Steve gestured for Anna to take the lead.

The interior of the building was bland and tasteless. The walls were painted a metallic grey, the floor tiles shining in the fluorescent light. Five men, dressed in suits and ties and donned with weaponry, guarded two heavy looking metal doors which Anna understood to be elevator doors. Coulson nodded in greeting to the men, and Anna stared at them in interest. Their faces remained impassive, and the hold on their guns was strict and heavy-handed.

Coulson beckoned to Anna and Steven to step inside the elevator, and the two of them did so. Anna watched as Coulson entered his information into a keypad embedded in the walls. It reminded her of Stark Industries' system back in Manhattan, though the retinal scan appeared to be less thorough in this particular building.

The elevator jerked to life, and, instead of being carried upwards, Anna felt the metal box sinking underground. Surprised, she glanced at Coulson only to find him staring straight ahead. The man was not a big conversation starter, and she got the feeling the agent thought he had better things to do with his time than escort and babysit.

Anna's ears popped as the elevator descended lower and lower, and she swallowed repeatedly to try and get rid of the feeling.

Finally, the elevator grounded to a halt. Coulson placed his hand against a glass square in the elevator and the scanner purred to life, a bright light flashing around his digits. Seconds later, the elevator doors opened and Coulson led them out of the elevator into a darkened hallway, flickering lights paving the way forward.

"What you are going to experience in this building is highly confidential," said Coulson, not bothering to look back at the two of them. The three of them reached a fork in the corridor, and Coulson immediately steered them left. "I am afraid this is where I leave you," said the agent, but Anna detected no melancholy in his tone. Along this stretch of corridor was three doors. Reaching the first, Coulson entered an eight digit passcode to the lock parallel to the door.

Coulson's fingers moved quickly as he entered the information, but Anna watched his movement and followed the first six characters: _7 9 3 3 B E._

The door slid to the left and revealed a large chamber which resembled a waiting room. A wide table was placed in the far right corner, a spread of expensive looking food resting upon it. A smaller table with two metallic chairs with sea-foam green padded seats was located in the centre of the room, and a water cooler with disposable plastic cups was secured to the adjacent wall.

"Please," said Coulson, gaining Anna and Steve's attention. "Take this time to get to know one another. You're going to be each other's company for the next week or so. Someone will be along to retrieve you in an hour. Eat all you want. Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Rogers. Dr. Wellington." And with those final words, Coulson exited the room and the metal door slid back into place, essentially trapping them inside the room.

Not knowing what else to do, and vigorously hoping that Steve Rogers was not a pervert or hired assassin, Anna moved toward the table in the middle of the room. "So..," she murmured, sinking into one of the seats.

Watching her with cool eyes, Steve Rogers did the same, taking the seat opposite.

Silence reigned and Anna, unwilling to live in the quiet any longer, opened her mouth to speak just as Steve opened his, and their questions merged as one.

_"Who are you?"_

* * *

**Again, THANK YOU to everyone who's reviewed and favourited this story!  
Big thanks to marinebrat0311, Tayler, KarToon12, LoveLive218, ILuvOdie, and AshleyDawn - you're all so wonderful. Thank you so much. I realise this chapter is a little filler-ish, but it's just setting the scene and the story until I go and see Avengers next week (April 26th in the UK!), so I can write more and follow the storyline in the films. **

**So... What do you think? Please Review! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Recruited - Chapter Four**

Silence.

Anna stared at Steve, willing him to answer first. Dozens of questions floated around inside her head and she struggled to make sense of them. Was Steve Rogers a SHIELD agent, too? Why had Coulson introduced them? And - better yet - why had she not voiced her discomfort with being locked inside what could only be described as a holding cell? Anna hated small spaces. Loathed them. When she had been six-years-old, her older cousin by three years had locked her in one of the kitchen cabinets. Frightened by the dark, the little girl had screamed till her lungs were empty of air. Even now, inside SHIELD's underground quarters, Anna struggled to catch her breath.

A few minutes into the silence, Steve's voice penetrated lull. "Steve Rogers," he introduced, his voice stressing his quiet unease with the situation.

"And you work for SHIELD?" asked Anna, folding her arms over her chest. She studied his face, and was disgusted at herself for finding the male to be rather attractive. Yes, Steve Rogers was very attractive, but that did not answer her questions. It did not ease her displeasure.

Steve shook his head. "No," he said, a frown marring his facial features. He paused. "I was recruited." And now the male stared back at Anna with mirrored interest. "And you?" asked Steve.

The brunette ran a hand through her tousled hair, and she wished she had a hairclip or something similiar to tie it back with. "It appears that I've been transferred to SHIELD for the time being," she explained, the words tasting foul in her mouth.

"From where?" asked Steve, evidently curious.

"Stark Industries," muttered Anna, wondering what was going through the man's mind. Would he, like every other male Anna had come into contact with over the last four years, laugh and tell her that programming was a man's job? That she was too pretty to work behind a computer? That Stark must have employed her for her long legs and ease rather than her IQ?

Instead of asking those sentences, Steve posed a different question. One word. "Howard?"

Anna blinked. Not many people spoke of Howard Stark except those who knew him personally. The tabloids wanted stories on Tony, the child prodigy, prime time most-wanted bachelor, and ultimate party thrower. Most celebrity gossip magazines and online forums still gossipped about Tony's dramatic and violent Iron Man unfolding at his Malibou mansion last year. "No," said Anna, "not Howard. His son, Tony. After Howard died, a close friend took over the company as CEO until Tony was old enough to run the company. The newest CEO is Virginia Potts. Tony's… close friend." How else could she describe Potts?

Steve nodded. "What is it you do there?" he asked, a look of genuine interest plastered on his face.

"I'm a systems analyst," said Anna, looking past Steve toward the table of food. She eyed the selection of fruit with hunger. What was the last time she ate? She excused herself from the seat and padded along toward the spread of food, plucking a few pieces of melon and sliced apples to one of the paper plates. She glanced around the room again, and spied the security camera in the top left corner by the ceiling. Why cameras? Who was monitoring them? Retreating back to her seat, she looked back at Steve. "Not hungry?" she asked, biting into a slice of apple.

"Oh, uh, no," said Steve, shaking his head. "I already ate." He waited for Anna to finish chewing the fruit. "What does a systems analyst do exactly?"

"Primarily, we look at software and systems choices to help run a company. My job is a little different as I work for Stark, which means I'm constantly on call with him or the woman I mentioned earlier, Miss Potts. My job extends a little further than that, though," explained Anna, picking up a small cube of honeydew melon. "I help Stark with mathematical problems and coding."

And suddenly Steve laughed. It wasn't a mocking or derisive snicker, but an embarrassed sound that escaped his lips. "I'm sorry," he said, eyes displaying his sincerity. "It's just that I hardly understood a word of that."

"Don't worry about it," said Anna, shrugging again. "Not a lot of people do. So," she said, turning the tables on him. "What is it you do?"

Steve looked at Anna, but it seemed as though his mind had taken him somewhere far away from the holding cell. "I was in the army," he said, his answer brief.

"Oh," murmured Anna, looking at the man in a new light. She should have spotted it before. The broad shoulders, the set jaw, the lines of age caught in his skin, the faraway look in his eyes. Of course, Steve Rogers had been in the army. No other occupation would suit him. She wanted to say "that must have been…", but no adjectives came to mind. The closest Anna had been to war was visiting war-torn Afghanistan upon Stark's escape with James Rhodes, or when Stane and Tony fought atop the Stark Industries building. "Was it recent?" asked Anna, wondering if this man had toured Afghanistan. Had he known about Tony's capture?

A half-hearted smile appeared on Steve's face, and he nodded his head. "Feels like last week," he answered.

* * *

The two SHIELD recruits sat and talked for an hour, learning more about one another. They spoke of their favourite music and film choices, Steve's selection of preferred films old-fashioned and small; Anna's favourites more widespread and modern. She learnt that Steve grew up in Brooklyn, and in return she told him of her childhood growing up in Forest Hills Gardens, Queens, and of her education at New York University.

Throughout the conversation, Anna kept her guards up, not liking the sight of the security cameras bracketed to the ceiling. She could see the small microphone pieces attached to the cameras, and she wondered why SHIELD would want to record their interaction. All of the information she gave Steve was accessible to the general public should they be so included to enter her name in a search engine. During her doctoral studies, she had started a monthly blog dedicated to her studies.

Anna tried to focus on anything but the small size of the room, and she was thankful when Steve got up and offered her a cup of water. She sipped the liquid slowly, trying to calm herself down, but her skin crawled with the thought of being eternally trapped inside the room. She fished her phone out of her pocket and turned it on, but the signal was lacking. She had no new messages from Tony, and that worried her. Where was he? What was he doing? Why couldn't he just put on his Iron Man suit and come and save her from SHIELD? Had Pepper looked into her rights? How long would she be stuck inside this room?

And that is the when the room began to spin.

The analyst knocked the cup of water to the floor, and her body began to shake. Anna dug her nails into the palms of her hands as her breathing became ragged, the fear of the closed space creeping upon her.

"Ma'am?" asked Steve, hesitantly walking toward her, hoping his contact would not upset her further. "Anna?" He asked, hoping the use of her name would rouse her out of the state. "Anna?"

And suddenly the door to the holding cell opened, and Coulson and three other SHIELD employees donned in suits arrived as Anna collapsed, her head hitting the carpeted floor with a thud.

* * *

**23 Reviews already! On only 3 chapters! Thank you all so much - yumixjaganshi, Petiib, Layne Muffins, KarToon12, A Contradiction, LoveLife218, LeiraStarofTheSea, Ashley Dawn, and an Anon! **

**I apologise that this is another fillerish chapter, but I'm trying to pad out Anna's character and introduce her in chunks rather than just say, "Anna Wellington has brown hair and grey eyes" etc.. I promise that after next week there will be a hell of a lot more action. I just need to see how Tony eventually joins SHIELD etc.. :) **

**Please Review! Tell me what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Recruited - Chapter Five**

Bright blinking lights. They were the first things Anna saw when she opened her eyes. She raised her right hand, hoping to shield her eyes away from the glaring incandescent yellow hues. She tried to sit up, to righten her posture, but her head felt heavy - as though it were fastened to the ground with a tonne of bricks. Clutching the sides of the metal cot she was resting upon, she pushed herself upwards.

Anna stared around the room through bleary eyes, noting the lack of windows. With her troubled eyesight - she had yet to grow accustomed to the lighting - the woman did not notice the door upon her first intake of the room. It was painted the same washed out white as the walls with no handle or lock.

She looked down and frowned. Her silver belt had been removed from the loops of her jeans, and the diamond ring that had once lived upon her index finger was missing.

Her head felt cool, as though it had had a cold compress pressed against the milky white skin.

And through the fatigue, Anna realised she had fainted and was now securely locked in what could only be SHIELD's medical facility.

The room was much larger than the one she had been in previously and, though there were no windows, she felt a little bit better. She did not know how long she had been unconscious for, or where the rest of her personal belongings had disappeared to - hadn't she had her phone on her person? -, but she knew she had needed the rest. SHIELD's coding test had had her up for almost thirty-six hours and no amount of coffee forced down her throat would have helped.

_"Miss Wellington, how do you feel?"_

Anna jumped. Not knowing where the voice was coming from, she looked around the room warily. And then she noticed the speakers built into the walls. "Fine," she muttered, hoping her voice was loud enough for the microphone to pick up her annoyance with the situation. She refused to thank them. Had SHIELD bothered to do their research and learn that she was terribly afraid of small spaces, she wouldn't have needed the medical help. "Where am I?"

"_You are located in Medic Room #245. Are you well enough to stand?" _asked the bodiless voice. Its inflections were strong, and she deduced that a real person was asking her these questions, not an AI.

Anna nearly growled at the speakers. "Yes." She stressed. "I"m well enough to stand." She strode to the other side of the room as if to prove her point, and pushed on the door.

_"An agent will be along to collect you shortly. You will then resume your orientation with Agent Coulson and Mr. Rogers."_

_Fantastic_, thought Anna, nodding her head in reply to the instructions. _Another meeting with SHIELD's finest. Tony,_ she growled in her mind, wishing her friend and boss was able to read minds as one of his superabilities, _where the hell are you? _

Less than a minute later, the door opened revealing a bespectacled agent dressed in a trim black suit. He cleared his throat and stared at Anna with disinterest. "Miss Wellington, I am to escort you to the new holding room." A cruel smile formed on his lips, taunting her. "I have been told it's bigger than the one you were in previously. Shall I make any more arrangements to suit your, ah, special needs?"

She couldn't hold back her anger, and her hand had reached out and punched the man in the jaw before she could pull it back to her side. "None come to mind," she said, her voice light despite the anger filling her entire being. She marched back into the room and grabbed the cold compress, holding it out to the male who cradled his cheek in his hands. "Does this meet your needs?" She asked, her voice sickly sweet.

The agent stared at her in disgust, but whatever words he had on the tip of his tongue were halted by the arrival of Agent Coulson. "That will be all, Agent Fitzpatrick," said Coulson, his eyes not leaving Anna's face. "You can return to your previous post. I'll take it from here." After the younger agent left, Coulson opened his mouth again. "Are you going to hit me if I lead you to the new orientation room?" Instead of sounding angry or annoyed like Anna thought he would have, Coulson sounded… faintly amused.

It was hard to see upon first glance, but Anna detected the slightest upturn of Coulson's lips at the scene.

"Maybe later," murmured Anna, following Coulson out of the medical ward and along another boring, white-coloured corridor. As the two walked through SHIELD's base, Anna's thoughts flittered back to the ward. "Where's my phone?" she asked, checking her pockets again. "And my ring?"

"Your ring was removed due to medical precautions." Coulson slipped a hand into the inside pocket of his jacket and handed her a small, clear envelope in which her ring was cased. "As I'm sure you noticed earlier, phone signal is unavailable in this building. Your phone was retrieved by two agents. You may have it back once we board the helicarrier."

Anna stopped in her tracks. "No," said the analyst. "I want my phone. I want you to tell me why the hell I'm here. I want you to tell me what the hell a hellicarrier is. And I want to know why you won't leave my boss alone."

"Your questions will be answered soon, Dr. Wellington. I assure you. However, for now, it is imperative we continue your orientation session with Rogers. He was quite alarmed at your fainting spell this afternoon."

The woman frowned. "He was?" she questioned, wondering why a stranger would be so concerned for her wellbeing. Wasn't she just a pawn in SHIELD's master plan?

As they continued their trek to the new interrogation room, Agent Coulson looked back at Anna with an impassive stare. He gestured for them to turn right at the next opening, and they crossed over to a similar looking corridor, arriving outside a door marked with the characters: C A P R O G 2 0 1 2. Coulson turned back to Anna, sliding his keycard into the reader. "Who do you think carried you to the medic ward?" He asked, pushing open the door.

* * *

There was little time for questions during the orientation. Anna sat upon another of the hard metal chairs in the new holding room, elbow to elbow with Steve Rogers.

Upon walking into the room, the man had stood up from his chair. His words were muted by Coulson's orders, but Anna flashed him a small but grateful smile. Had he really carried her to the medical wing? Was he just following SHIELD's orders? Why was he recruited? If SHIELD were targeting superhuman beings, or superheroes like Tony Stark, why had they recruited a man from the army? It didn't make sense. And worst of all, the name Steve Rogers still sounded oddly familiar. Had he been involved in Tony's escape? _No,_ decided Anna._ He couldn't have been. He would have said something. _

But as the evening progressed - she learned that she had been in the medic ward for a little under two hours -, Anna noticed that Steve Rogers was not a talkative man.

He chose his words carefully, evidently mulling them over in his head. His voice was strong but soft, and it gave Anna little perception of his personality. He had stripped himself of his tan leather jacket, leaving him in a plain navy t-shirt and jeans, and his hair was ruffled leaving Anna to surmise that he had been working out in a gym somewhere. She doubted SHIELD gave him permission to leave the building - inside the headquarters, Steve Rogers had looked as displeased with the arrangement as she had felt.

Forty-five minutes into the orientation, Coulson's phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered the call.

Anna glared at him. _No cell service? Liar. _If she had had her phone, she could have hacked it to connect to what ever service was supplying Coulson's cell phone with a connection. _Why didn't they want her to have her phone?_

"Rogers, Wellington," said Coulson as he snapped the phone shut. He placed it inside his pocket and met Anna's glare with a bored expression, raising his brows in a 'what-are-you-going-to-do-about-it?' look. "I am afraid to report there is a problem with the helicarrier. They're not going to be ready for us for a day or so. Rogers, you are to return to the apartment block you have been staying in. Dr. Wellington, you are to remain here in SHIELD. We have made arrangements for you. If you'll follow me, Dr. Wellington. Rogers," said Coulson, looking toward the soldier. "You're free to leave. Be back at 0800."

Steve nodded at the order, and he rose from his seat. Before leaving, he nodded once more in greeting to Anna, a small twitch of his lips indicating a short but heartfelt smile.

"Dr. Wellington, please follow me," said Coulson, and he began to lead the way to the aforementioned accommodation.

The accommodation comprised a small built-in apartment similar in shape and decoration to that of a hotel suite. The walls were painted a light lavender grey, and a king sized bed dominated the width of the bedroom. An adjacent bathroom and lounge completed the property. She would have been fooled into thinking it was a real hotel suite had it not been for the security cameras tagged in the corners of the hallway and lounge areas.

"And how do you know Steve isn't going to disappear and go against SHIELD's rule?" snapped Anna, furious with the Agent's ruling. She wanted to return to her apartment in Chelsea; she wanted to leave SHIELD and its stupid regulations behind. She wanted out. And God help her, she wanted Tony. She wanted her friend back.

Coulson simply looked at her. "Because SHIELD is all Rogers has." And he closed the door, leaving Anna alone in the makeshift suite.

* * *

**And that's the end of chapter five.  
Usually I write ridiculously long chapters, and in any other story of mine this would probably be part of the second chapter. I must admit I am loving these chapter lengths though - it keeps them brief, but hopefully gives you the info you need (and it helps me upload them quicker). What do you think of the length? Love or hate it?**

**BIG thank yous to: smileintothechaos, A Contradiction, Ashley Dawn, Lumy-san, PadfootCc, The Red Fedora, ILuvOdie, and ffreaderwriter. **

**And to answer some questions: do I think Steve would have caught Anna before she the floor? Yes and no. I think Steve is getting used to having his strength and life back, and he didn't want to alarm Anna. Plus the SHIELD Agents entered just before she collapsed, so I think Steve didn't want to interfere and have them think he did something to cause her fainting. **

**Will this be a Tony/OC/Steve? No. Not romantically. I imagine there will be some personality clashes over "she's my best friend!/but I like her!", and I think Steve trying to get Tony's approval/permission to date Anna would be hilarious, but no. No romance between Anna and Tony. **

**So... Please Review! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Recruited - Chapter Six**

**- Five Years Previous - **

_"Let me interview her."_

_"No, Tony. You only want to interview the female candidates and though I find your involvement in the search for a new tech analyst admirable, it's also sexist in a perverse manner. Leave the process to me, OK? When I asked in May, you said you didn't want to interview these people. I've interviewed over eighty candidates by myself already. One more isn't going to hurt." _

_Anna could hear the voices just outside the door. She was seated on a chair inside a large, modernised office at the top of Stark Industries' Manhattan building on the twenty-third floor. Her feet ached from the ridiculous heels she had worn for the interview, and her hair was pulled back into a neat French braid over her right shoulder. She wore minimal make-up but she had made an effort with her appearance, hoping the business clothes - a black pencil skirt with nude stockings, white buttoned blouse, and black patent heels - would complete the image. At only twenty-two and fresh out of college, Anna was amazed at the response from Stark Industries; the company had agreed to grant her with an interview. And here she was. _

_"Is that so?"_

_"Yes, Tony. That is so." _

_"Well, then, you don't mind if I sit in on the interviews just once, right? You said so yourself, Pepper. It's just one. Can we get some coffee up here? One of those little ones with the cream and the cocoa powder stencils? I'm dying of thirst." _

_And the door swung open and in stepped Tony Stark himself. He stared around the room with a casual glance, his eyes sweeping over Anna with interest behind stylish black tinted glasses. He strode to the desk and sat down behind it, propping his legs up on the mahogany. Following him was a tall, slender woman with fiery red hair. She looked at Stark's posture with a glare of irritation before turning to Anna, outstretching her hand._

_Anna stood and shook the woman's offered hand, hoping her grip was firm but friendly. _

_"You must be Dr. Wellington," said the woman, introducing herself as Virginia Potts. _

_"Yes," said Stark, removing his sunglasses. "Dr. Wellington. Pleasure."_

_"It's Miss Wellington," corrected Anna, a sheepish smile on her face. "I'm still working toward my Doctorate at the University. Through online classes," she added hastily, not wanting either of them to think she hadn't enough time to focus on the job. She bit her lip and sighed with relief when Miss Potts waved away her concerns._

_"My mistake," smiled Potts. "I read PhD from NYU and assumed. Not that it matters," she continued, sinking into the chair next to Stark. Potts smoothed her skirt and placed a manilla coloured file on the desk, pushing Stark's feet from the table. "I have your resume right here," murmured Potts, opening the file. Stark leaned forward and examined it with interest. "You have fantastic recommendations from both your professors and a previous employee. It says here you worked for Linux. What did that include?"_

_Anna swallowed back the lump in her throat. She was usually confident in her abilities, but with Stark himself in the room, she found it hard to keep composure. The man was a genius. "I was employed at eighteen, but I was only granted official employee status when I turned twenty-one. I assisted with the programming and writing of the codes. I also did checks to see the development of the programmes was up to par. I was promoted a few months ago, and-"_

_"Why Stark Industries?" cut in Stark. He eyed the young woman with an indescribable look, but Anna felt as though he was imagining her without her clothing. _

_"The systems and programming units within Stark Industries are vast, and I want to be a part of something bigger than Linux. I have qualifications in mathematical science and coding, so I am able to do the mass programming needed to run a company such as Stark Ind., and I've always been fascinated by the company," answered Anna, hoping it didn't sound too cliche. "The history behind Stark Industries was something I studied as part of my bachelor's degree in World History. Stark Industries' machinery and weaponry helped win the war, and the efforts in Afghanistan have been aided by your designs. I want to be a part of something that helps." _

_Stark was quiet. He shared a look with Potts before leaning across the table - much to Potts' irritation. "Tell you, what," he proposed, staring her in the eyes. "How about we continue this over dinner? I'm sure Miss Potts won't mind, and we can discuss this in more detail with drinks. You and me. 7:30?" _

_Anna felt sure her eyes widened at the statement, and she fought hard to keep her composure. The twenty-two-year-old had heard of Stark and his reputation with women. He was a womaniser at best, with a different blonde, brunette or redhead in his bed each week. His and their faces were plastered over gossip magazines and newspapers, and Stark was known for his playboy persona. "Oh," she said, her voice hard. "Thank you for the offer, but no thank you. I'd rather stick to the interview."_

_At this, Stark's brows rose and Potts smiled. _

_"Thank you, Miss Wellington," said Potts, standing._

_Anna followed her lead. "Oh, OK. Thank you for seeing me, Miss Potts. Mr. Stark." And she bowed out of the office, clutching her black bag to her chest. _

_Back inside the office, Potts turned to Stark. "That was rude."_

_"I was just gaging her reaction."_

_"And she turned you down."_

_Stark laughed. "She's feisty. I like her. Employ her."_

_Potts blinked. "What? I have another sixteen people to interview, Tony. Some have flown in from Kansas and Michigan, and -"_

_"Cancel them. Send them to a false interview. I don't care. But I'm telling you, Pepper, I want that girl working for me."_

* * *

Streams of sunlight bled through the thin drapes, and for a moment Anna believed she was still in her Chelsea apartment.

Rising from the bed, the woman stretched her arms high above her head and wandered toward the window. _Wait, window?_ Anna pulled back the drapes and was faced with the view of a typical Chelsea avenue. Frowning, Anna looked back toward the bed and her eyes caught sight of the sleek silver remote resting on the bedside table. She strode to the cabinet and picked up the remote. Ten round buttons were fixed to the device, numbered_ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9._

Pressing '_1_', Anna turned back to the window and found that the scenery had changed. Now she was seeing Times Square in all its night time glory. Pleasantly surprised, the woman quickly flicked through all of the options.

_2_ displayed the view from atop the Empire State Building's viewing deck.

_3_ presented a beach in the Caribbean.

The fourth and fifth buttons displayed city views of Los Angeles.

The sixth, seventh and eight displays were blank.

And the ninth and final display showed an old-fashioned street in what Anna presumed to be New York. She eyed the display with interest, watching as the image came to life. People wandered up and down the streets dressed in clothing similar to that she had seen in old photographs in her World War II journals. The weather was dark and dull, and Anna frowned in confusion. Why would this image be on the display? Had they fashioned it toward her due to her Bachelor's Degree and interest in wartime America?

It appeared that _SHIELD_, though not thorough in their research and background information, were quite accommodating.

Anna exited the bedroom and headed into the small hallway of the underground apartment. Resting against the wall was a black suitcase. Anna dropped to her knees and hastily unzipped the case only to find a vast majority of her clothing had been meticulously folded inside.

And on top of the clothing sat a small white envelope.

Peeling open the white paper, Anna fumbled inside and retrieved a small business card embellished with the Stark Industries' logo. She flipped the card over and immediately recognised the untidy scrawl.

She read the message thrice before throwing it back in the suitcase.

_Hold on. Keep your head held high. __I'm working on it. _- T 

* * *

**I know, I know - where's Steve? I promise you there will be a lot of Steve and Anna interaction in Ch. 7. Trust me! **

**I wanted this chapter to sort of help Anna in her quest to find out who Steve is, and to give some background info. to her work and relationship with Tony. I quite liked writing the flashback scene - Tony is just too much fun to write! **

**So... what do you think? I'll try and have the next chapter uploaded on Thursday. Please Review! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Recruited - Chapter Seven**

She had been tucked away in SHIELD's underground New York base for three days. Little information had been handed to her, and she glared at the _Guide to SHIELD and its Message _leaflet that had been delivered to her on the morning of the second day. The listed information communicated the importance of SHIELD - the world needed superheroes. It needed to be saved from self-destruction and other-worldly threats.

SHIELD needed heroes.

Anna snorted at the small notation of the incredible Iron Man. The leaflet depicted him as the anti-hero: the man who didn't want to have to save the world. The information was satirical at best. _No wonder Tony was so against this, _Anna mused.

The woman was pulled out of her thoughts by the man beside her. Looking over at Steve, Anna had to fight back a small smile. The man was a gentlemen. He always held open the door for her, he always called her "Ma'am" or "Doctor", never "Miss" or by her first name. When walking into a foreign room, Steve would hold the door open.

Steve Rogers, she learned, was a listener. He didn't talk much, and this she liked.

On the evening of the third day, whilst walking down one of the narrow corridors with Steve Rogers, on their way to the gym Steve had talked about, she and the soldier encountered an Agent walking toward them. Anna glanced at the man's face before smiling with cold satisfaction.

_Agent Fitzpatrick._

The agent stared at the two recruits from behind the thick frames of his glasses, purple bruising evident on his jaw, and he shot a powerful glare in Anna's direction before brushing past the two of them.

Steve was the first to speak. "Do you know him?" he asked in hushed tones, lowering his head toward Anna's much smaller frame. "What did you do to get _that_ look?"

"I was the one to give him that bruising," said Anna, brushing off the man's surprised stare. As they reached the gym, Anna sighed. "He was a bully. I don't like bullies," she said.

Steve appeared to be in deep thought before pushing open the door and standing back, granting Anna entrance. "Neither do I," murmured Steve, a light smile gracing his face.

The gym was a vast space with red brick walls and no windows. Little light filled the room casting a dull glow on the various gym equipment, and Anna's eyes raked over the boxing ring with mild appreciation.

"You know how to fight?" asked Steve, watching as the woman's eyes swept over the gym.

"No," said Anna, shaking her head. She plucked the hairband from her wrist and tied back her hair into a neat ponytail. "Not really."

"But you were the one to punch that agent, right? So you must pack a pretty good punch," countered Steve, a small grin on his face.

Anna refrained from rolling her eyes. She had known Steve for no more than 72 hours, but she had watched as his moods alternated. In the interrogation rooms on the first day, Steve appeared agitated, as though he, too, hated being locked away. Now, in the gymnasium, Steve seemed content. "I just had a good teacher," she argued, brushing off the soldier's compliments.

"Who?" asked Steve, looking genuinely interested.

"Stark." At Steve's quizzical glance, she elaborated. "Unless you're involved in the fashion industry, New York City is a man's world. I'm a woman doing a man's job." Anna sighed and slipped through the ropes of the boxing ring, sitting on the platform. She rested her arms on the middle rope and said, "I'm known as Tony Stark's go-to-girl. A lot of people think it ought to be his go-to-man. In Manhattan, I'm at the top of the food chain. In their eyes, I ought to be at the bottom."

Growing up in New York City, Anna had met her fair share of men. These men, whether she knew them from college or work, liked to talk. They loved to communicate their triumphs and achievements till they had no more to list. Men in Manhattan were self-indulgent. Manhattan was a man's world and the men of Manhattan knew this. They flaunted it at every Stark Industries gala and charity ball. The men on the higher floors of the building would talk and talk, and they scoffed at the thought of a woman having an entire floor to herself. She once overheard a conversation detailing their proposed reasoning for her own floor: "too many shoes and purses", they had said.

Oh, how she wanted to prove them wrong.

But Stark had strict instructions. Anna was the top of her field within the company, but no more than eight people knew of the extra workload given to her by Stark. She was his go-to-woman. His fourth in command. If Stark had a problem, he would go to her. She kept tabs on everyone and everything in the building. She would watch as the men on the thirty-first floor pretended to finish their prototype drawings, and she had access to the personal files and classified information stored in Stark's archives.

Anna was Manhattan's female answer to Stark.

Like the genius, she was quick-witted and sharp.

But she was a homebody. She would rather stay inside her Chelsea apartment and catch up on her reading and television shows than head out and attend another charity function at some swanky hotel near Broadway. She found it hard to make polite conversation with co-workers, but she and Virginia Potts conversed regularly.

She hated flying, so when Tony had asked her if she wanted to borrow the jet for a weekend last Spring, she had declined with fervour.

_"No way, Tony," she had said. "There is no way you are getting me on that hellish thing."_

_But Stark was insistent. "Come on, woman. You need a break. Where do you want to go? Hawaii? Fiji? I know a great little place by the beach. I own it, actually, so if you want to-"_

A smile graced her face at the memory.

Steve's words pulled her back to the present. He copied her earlier movement and slipped through the ropes, seating himself beside her. "I'm sorry," apologised the soldier. "I know what it's like to be told you shouldn't do something. A lot of people don't care about what you feel or what you can do. They refuse to look past the exterior."

Anna tilted her head, and she glanced at Steve in interest. "You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"I am."

Anna stared at him, silently telling him to continue.

"My friends thought I was doing the wrong thing by enlisting. They didn't think I was strong enough for the army," admitted Steve, adjusting his worn gloves. Anna guessed the man had spent a lot of time locked away in the gymnasium.

"I'm struggling to see that," admitted Anna, laughing quietly as her eyes raked over his broad physique. "You look strong enough to me."

A rose hue coloured Steve's cheeks. "I wasn't always this, uh, big. I was a pretty scrawny kid."

A comfortable silence fell over the two. Anna swung her legs idly back and forth, wondering what to say next. Steve Rogers was still a mystery to her, though she felt as though she had unravelled a few layers of his exterior shell. She turned away from Steve and focused her thoughts on trying to imagine a scrawny ten-year-old Steve. No images came to mind. "I guess I'll believe it when I see it."

Steve merely smiled.

* * *

Day 4. Another conference room at the bottom of the building, another interrogation. More agents trying to enlist her help. Anna glowered at the woman before her. The raven-haired SHIELD agent was dressed in what the analyst had dubbed the 'SHIELD uniform'. It was a tight black jumpsuit with cord fasteners, but on the agent it looked mildly comfortable. An acquired quality and touch, mused Anna.

"Dr. Wellington, my name is Agent Hill," introduced the Agent, not bothering to outstretch her hand. The woman's tone was short.

Beside her sat Coulson, a pair of sleek black sunglasses perched on his head.

Anna had been told that Steve Rogers would be joining them shortly, but first Hill and Coulson had questions to ask her and only her. She felt the headache forming already. "OK?" said Anna, unsure as to why a new agent had been assigned to the meetings.

"I need to ask you some questions, Dr. Wellington. It is imperative you answer them honestly and to the best of your ability. Tell me," said Hill, staring at the analyst with a calm expression, "what do you know of the Tesseract?"

"A tesseract?" repeated Anna, blinking. _Couldn't they just Google or something?_ Did they really need a woman with a PhD in mathematical science to tell them what a tesseract is? "It's a four-dimensional analog of a cube. It's a convex regular 4-polytope. My professors at NYU called it the tetracube, but I wasn't fond of the name. It can be constructed in various ways. The hyperplanes of the tesseract intersect and form twenty-four square faces." Anna frowned before a thought struck her. "Unless you mean the _Tesseract_ software? Google are actually involved with this. It's paired with Linux and Windows. It's nearly twenty-years-old, but it does a pretty good job."

Hill nodded her head. "And what of the tesseract in science, Dr.?"

Anna stumbled for words. "Well, I only know mathematical science. I didn't know the tesseract really… verged into science?" She posed her words as a question.

Coulson spoke next. "The Cosmic Cube."

"Wha-?"

"From Asgard."

"Isn't that something to do with mythology?" questioned Anna, a frown marring her face. "This doesn't make any sense. Am I on candid camera or something? Is this some early birthday present prank from Tony? Because I'm not buying it. I always hate his long thought-out pranks…"

A buzzing sounded from Hill's microphone, and she pressed a button.

The door opened and Steve Rogers stepped in. He was dressed in a blue long-sleeved sweater and washed jeans, his face stern at the sight of the interrogation scene. "Sorry, I'm late," he apologised, taking the seat next to Anna opposite Coulson and Hill.

Hill and Coulson ceased the questioning, and instead they began to divulge the plans to move base, but another interruption halted the flow of information.

The door to the conference room opened. A second agent stepped in, his outfit a less trim version of Coulson's. He was young, guessed Anna, no older than thirty, and his sandy-blonde hair was thin and balding. He eyed the room with a nervous expression cast upon his face, eyes flitting from Coulson, to Hill, to Rogers, before resting on the woman.

"Dr. Wellington," said the Agent, bowing his head as he greeted the analyst. "I have a message from Colonel Fury. Tony Stark is here to see you."

Anna's brows rose to her hairline, and she stared at the Agent in undisguised surprise. "Tony?" she repeated, pushing herself away from the table she shared with Steve and the agents. "He's here?" _Thank, God,_ thought Anna.

"No," corrected the Agent, gesturing to the phone in his hand. Anna recognised it immediately as hers. She had missed that device. "He called you on this." The blonde-haired agent gestured to Anna to exit the room to answer the call, and she nodded her head in goodbye to Steve and the two SHIELD operatives. _Trust Tony to find a way to get past SHIELD's no 'cell service'. _

Outside, Anna followed the Agent down the corridor. He nodded his head to a second door and let the retinal scanner scan his identification. He smiled, a timid short tug of the lips, and asked her to enter the room. Upon entering, the Agent locked the door, granting her privacy.

The room was smaller than the ones she had been in previously, and a small metal table with no chairs occupied the far wall.

Anna stared down at the phone, watching as Tony Stark's image appeared on the screen. The phone vibrated with life and Anna quickly pressed the 'accept' button.

"Tony?" she breathed.

"Anna, my peach, how are you?" crackled Stark's voice down the line.

"Cut the bullshit, Tony," hissed Anna, her voice rising with anger. "Where the hell are you?"

"Temper, temper," chided Stark, his expression grim. "Are you happy to hear from me or not?"

Anna glowered, hoping the phone's camera picked up her ill temper. "I'm locked away in SHIELD's underground base. What do you think?"

Stark smiled. "I think you're overjoyed to hear from me. C'mon," teased Stark, a smug smirk pulling at his lips. Despite his teasing tone, the genius looked haggard; as though he hadn't slept in days. "Tell me you missed me."

The analyst remained silent, her glare speaking for her.

"OK, OK. I did what you asked," said Stark, turning serious for a short moment. "But it comes with a price."

"What, Tony?"

"Tell me you missed me. That's all, Annie. Tell me you missed me. That you're lost without me."

"You know I hate you, right?"

"Before this phone call? I was 99% sure. I just wanted to check."

"99%?" scoffed Anna, an unladylike laugh escaping her lips.

"What is it with women not liking my percentages today?" asked Tony, rolling his eyes. "Go on," he urged. "Tell me you missed me, Wellington."

Silence. And then, "Fine," grumbled Anna. "I _missed _you, Stark. Now tell me what you found."

Stark appeared to weigh up his options. "OK," he conceded. "You could have said that with a little more conviction, but-"

"Tony, tell me what the hell you found out." A beat. "Please."

"OK. That attitude I like." Stark paused, and he appeared to think about what he was going to say next. His words were succinct. "You said his name was Steve Rogers, right?"

Anna hummed her response and watched as Tony's brow rose uncharacteristically. He seemed genuinely surprised, and Anna knew it was a rare occurrence. "That's what I said," she confirmed, urging her friend to divulge his findings. "Did you Google the guy or something?"

Tony glowered. "You've been there three days and you think the owner of a multi-billion technological corporation would resort to Google when wanting to find something? No," clarified Tony, "I did not Google. I JARVISed. I also had some extra information from a source that will not be named right now. You want to know what I found out? Of course you do. That's why you asked. And you owe me, sunshine. I found some information, but it seemed more like a fictional story. Then I decided to go through the history of Stark Ind.. Your boy down there," said Tony, "is an experiment. A scientific miracle. He's old enough to be your father. Scratch that, he's old enough to be your great-grandfather."

The woman frowned. "Tony, you're not making any sense," she said, shaking her head, willing her friend to slow down, keeping her grip on the phone steady. "What do you mean he's a science experiment? And my grandfather? The guy's barely hit twenty-nine."

"I mean," said Tony, staring at the analyst from the monitor, his face stern as he stressed the importance of his findings, "the guy you've been shacking up with down here, is a super-soldier. An experiment. He's _Captain America_."

* * *

**AN: A BIG "thank you" to all of my reviewers on the last chapter: XxXLIFEafterDEATHXxX, steel-alchemist, smileintothechaos, addy, Carlos Diaz III, Marinebrat0311, crystal-roses13, ffreaderwriter, Ashley Dawn, Fwalandra, A Contradiction, LoveLive218, KarToon12, tink1608, Ellemonster, Lumy-San, and The Red Fedora. **

_**This story is on over 80 alert lists, so I'd love to see some more of you reviewing - just tell me what you think! **_

**Apologies for the delay, I've had a number of problems/issues this week. Hopefully this chapter makes up for it?**

**Firstly, I've been v. busy with work and have had little time to myself to work on this chapter - hopefully it is up to par? I had the ending stuck in my head for a while, it was the beginning and middle that I'm not overly keen on. Please let me know what you think! Secondly, I've had computer troubles. I did try to update this a couple of days ago, but the trackpad on my MacBook has 'smashed', so I'm in the process of trying to get that fixed (warning: don't let younger siblings near your computers…). And, finally, I've been a little bit 'off'-ish this week emotionally, but I hope that doesn't transfer to the story!**

**And, of course, it's THURSDAY 26th APRIL! So as you're reading this, I will be in the cinema watching Avengers (Assemble) - thank God I live in the UK! **

**Scratch that! I was hoping to get this uploaded before I went to the cinema, but life got complicated and I didn't have time. I am, however, going to see it for a second time this afternoon, and, without spoiling it all for you, let me just say it is AMAZING. You'll love it. **

**I realise you all must hate me right now for that, but please review! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Recruited - Chapter Eight**

**WARNING: Minor "AVENGERS (ASSEMBLE)" spoilers ahead.**  
_Hints and information leading to the first ten to fifteen minutes or so of Avengers footage. _

"You're hilarious."

"Anna," said Stark, his voice hard. "I am not kidding right now. If there's a clean flat service wherever you are, use your projector. I'm going to send you some footage and files." Stark's image disappeared and was replaced with various pixelated images.

Anna glanced around the room and backed away from the closest wall. She hit the bottom right button on the device and held it up to the white-washed walls, projecting the files.

"But thank you for the compliment," continued Stark.

The files opened and footage began to play. It was black-and-white unstable and shaky video, but Anna watched as the man, donned in his signature stars and stripes costume, beckoned his fellow soldiers to move forward. And then the scene changed: the footage shifted to the upper left hand corner of the wall, and text boxes appeared. The first read Capt. Steve Rogers in bold teal lettering, and three pictures materialised underneath. It depicted the Captain's transformation.

A gaunt Steve Rogers stared back at her, his head seemingly too large for his minuscule physique. The woman's eyes raked over his hollow cheeks, the point of his chin, and the side parting of his lank hair.

The second photo was the same angular Steve Rogers. A headshot of the would-be soldier in his 1940s uniform, the helmet too wide for his head.

And the final photo showed Steve Rogers in his Captain America costume post-experiment.

This was the Steve Rogers Anna knew, though in this image Steve looked less rigid than he did in person. The World War II hero smiled, his shield poised high - a symbol of determination.

Hope.

"Are you seeing it?" came Stark's voice.

For a moment, Anna forgot where she was. Her mind flitted back to the lectures she had attended during her bachelors degree, and she tugged at the memories containing the words _Steve Rogers. _She knew the name sounded familiar, but Rogers was a popular last name. The name 'Steve Rogers' hardly leapt off the page.

But Captain America did.

"I'm seeing it, Tony," murmured Anna. "I'm still on my way to believing it." She swallowed back the lump in her throat. Had she really just been sitting with a decorated second world war hero? "How is this even possible? I thought Captain America crashed in the ocean. That's what the comics depicted. The veterans never said anything else."

"It wasn't exactly the ocean," said Stark, the files disappearing as his face came into position on the wall. "He crashed into ice. They're not sure if it was the ice or the experiment that kept him alive. What's the Capcicle like?"

"Capcicle?" repeated Anna, dumbly.

"Yeah," said Stark, raising his brows. "Ever since you sent me that text and I did my homework, you can thank Coulson for that by the way, I-"

"What? When did you see Coulson? Where the hell are you?"

"Uh, last night. He breached JARVIS's security. I'm still in New York. It wasn't exactly a long drive for him. I was putting the finishing touches on project Clean Energy, and he decided to drop by and give me my homework for the year. As soon as I saw Rogers' name, I knew I had to get in touch with you." A pause. "Pepper's on first name basis with him."

"Don't tell me you're jealous?"

"Of course not, my little ray of sunshine. He has yet to rock the black tinted sunglasses inside. Maybe I should give him some lessons, a stylist or two, then maybe the cellist-"

_"Tony." _

He smiled. It was a short, weak smile. "How're you holding up?"

Anna buried her head in her hands and rubbed at her tired eyes. "I want out of here, Tony. This is too much. They want me to work for them as a new analyst and I have absolutely no idea why-"

"Because their top analyst was murdered a few days ago at their Western SHIELD base. Loki's doing."

"Dare I ask?"

"Yes. Yes, you should. You remember studying the fault in New Mexico last year?"

"….I'm not sure I like where this is heading," said Anna, her tone wary, thinking back to her assignment from the previous year. Stark knew that SHIELD had been involved, and he had Anna trace everything and anything related to the mess. She had found two names before the files and information were Government sealed: Jane Foster. Darcy Lewis.

"Gods."

"Gods?" Anna repeated.

"Gods. Norse Gods, actually. Thor. Loki is his brother. Non-biological, that is. He caused the mayhem down in New Mexico, and it looks like he's back to cause more trouble. SHIELD wants me in. They want me to play nice with the other heroes."

Anna sank to the floor, and she turned off the projector, holding the phone in her hands. "There are more heroes?" she questioned, feeling dizzier with each passing moment. "Who? Where?"

Tony listed off the names of the other superheroes: Dr. Bruce Banner, the Hulk. Thor, the Norse God of Thunder. Steve Rogers, the Captain. Together, the Avengers.

The two friends remained silent, both lost in their thoughts. Anna ran a hand through her coffee-coloured hair and sucked in a breath. What was she supposed to do? Exit the room and talk to Steve as she had been doing? The man evidently had knowledge of his previous life as Captain America, the words _"feels like last week"_ echoing in her mind. Why lie? Was he, too, under SHIELD's instruction?

No, thought Anna. The man had an apartment. He was free to come and go whenever he pleased.

_"SHIELD is all Rogers has,"_ came Coulson's voice, following Steve's confession.

Anna suddenly groaned. "This is giving me a headache," she muttered, frowning. "I have thousands of numbers and codes rattling around in my head, but tell me there are superheroes and Gods, my mind goes blank."

"Anna, listen. What they want you to do is dangerous, OK? I don't know where Loki is. Neither do SHIELD. Loki's already taken two of their own: Barton and Dr. Selvig. It's dangerous. Pepper's still looking into trying to get you out of this, all right? We'll keep looking. You're top priority right now. You first. DC and the Clean Energy project second. Mine and Pepper's date apparently third in the list," mused Stark, scowling. "What I'm saying is: be careful. I got you into this mess, and I'm sure as hell going to get you out of it."

"Good luck," sighed Anna, a slim half-hearted smile melting her frown. "It's the government, Tony. It's a pretty tight knot to try and get out of it."

"Do you trust me?"

The question took the woman by surprise. She blinked, trying to clear her head before answering the question. "Tony, I-"

"Do you_ trust _me?"

"Yes," answered Anna, nodding her head. "You know I trust you, Tony. You're one of the very few."

"SHIELD is up to something," said Stark, his handsome features twisting into a grimace. "I don't know what, but I intend to find out what it is. I need you to keep your ear to the ground, Annie. Listen. Blend in. Do as you're told-" he held up a hand to stop her protest, "I know, I know. You're not one to do as you're told, but, please, for the sake of mankind and all that is good in the world, humour me. I'll be with you soon. I just have a few things to sort out and I'll be there. Scouts' Honour."

Anna smiled despite herself. "You're such a jerk, you know that, right?"

"You remind me everyday, my lady. Spend your time wisely. Hell, make-out with the Captain whilst you're at it. Men hath no power when a beautiful woman is involved. I would know. Pepper tells me so on a regular basis."

"Tony?"

"Yes, my little Analyst?"

"When you get here, be prepared to be slapped."

"I look forward to it. Remember what I said."

And the call ended, Anna's phone shutting down in her hand.

Pulling herself to her feet, Anna stood and walked toward the door. It opened and she faced the same flaxen-haired Agent with a hard look in her eyes. "Can you take me back to Captain Rogers, please?" she asked, feigning a sweet disposition. "I just want to clarify a few things."

"Of course, Miss Wellington."

* * *

**AN: Thank you for all of the reviews! I believe I'm PMed most of you, but if I haven't, thanks again! **

**I realise this is another filler chapter, but I'm trying to space things out until the rest of the world has managed to see the Avengers. I hope you noticed the warning at the top of the chapter - there are a few minor spoilers for the film in this chapter, but nothing major. Just little bits and pieces. **

**I also have a new Loki/OC/Steve story (I know, I know, there's far too many already) taking place during Avengers. So if you're interested in that, please check it out! **

**Anyway, please let me know what you think! I tried to keep Tony in character for this, but I feel as though he went a little haywire in places. Oops. **

**Please Review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Recruited - Chapter Nine**

**WARNING: Minor "AVENGERS (ASSEMBLE)" spoilers ahead.**  
_Hints and information leading to the first twenty to thirty minutes or so of Avengers footage. _

Anna slipped back into the interrogation room, sliding into the chair beside Steve Rogers. She caught his eye and forced a smile, watching him carefully. Opposite the two, Coulson and Hill finished their debriefing. The two SHIELD agents explained the coming events and procedures leading to the arrival of the foursome upon SHIELD's very own helicarrier. It was three o'clock in the morning - no wonder Tony had looked so haggard, realised Anna.

The next few hours passed by in a blur.

Coulson and Hill left her in the charge of Agent Yale, a sixty-five-year-old grey-haired agent with a penchant for one-liners and menthol cigarettes. Yale led Anna out of the holding room and along the familiar corridor leading to her makeshift apartment. The agent waited outside as Anna grabbed her bags and belongings, and he then called for two agents to collect her luggage.

Yale then left Anna outside a room named REGALIA. She was ushered inside by two female agents who proceeded to hand her a mass of black material. Her uniform.

The SHIELD uniform was uncomfortably tight. Anna was certain the only thing in her Chelsea apartment similar to the shape and fit of the uniform was her one-piece bathing suit.

The black uniform hugged her hips, accentuating her slim waist. The material crept toward her neck, and a zipper was placed conveniently at the front of the bodice. It bit at her creamy white skin, and fit her like a glove.

In short, she hated it.

Another hour passed. Anna was allowed to shower and change back into the uniform, making herself look presentable for her first day of work. Upon the helicarrier, she would start her role as SHIELD's new analyst, the replacement of Dr. William Daly.

She met with three other SHIELD agents - two women, Agent Jones and Agent Reed, and an eighteen-year-old male, Agent Harris. The women laughed at her complaints regarding the uniform, whilst Harris stared at her chest and body with a perverted smile.

It took everything in the analyst to not smack the grin off of his face.

* * *

She was reunited with Steve at seven o'clock in the morning. He was dressed in the tan leather jacket she had seen him wear upon their first meeting, a white shirt tucked underneath it. He wore his blue denim jeans, and his tan boots completed his look. The soldier eyed Anna's attire with obvious surprise, and focused his eyes upon her face. _Always polite_, she noticed.

"You look… different," commented Steve, clearing his throat. His clear blue eyes raked over her face. "Your hair," said Steve. "It's up."

Anna tried not to laugh, and she fingered the high ponytail with a shrug. "I didn't want it getting in the way."

"It looks nice," complimented Steve, an awkward blush colouring his cheeks.

Anna could only imagine the comments Stark would make if he was with them, but she responded to Steve's words with a hesitant smile.

The two walked along the narrow corridors, peering in through the windows and doors they passed. Numerous rooms holding computer and tracking equipment caught Anna's attention, and she eyed the collection with mild appreciation. She had missed her computers, she realised.

"It must be strange," mused Anna out loud, choosing her words carefully as they reached the end of the corridor. "All this technology. Even I don't know what half of this stuff is." A lie.

Steve laughed, bashful. "Yes, Ma'am. I'm not up to date on all of this tech stuff." He waved his arms to gesture to the computer monitors and wireless connections.

Anna smiled, keeping the casual yet friendly conversation flowing as she looked up at the soldier from the corner of her eye. As she voiced her next words, she changed direction and stared ahead. "I can imagine. 2012 must seem so strange to someone from the thirties and forties."

"Yeah," said Steve, responding instantly. "It's been tough, but-," he broke off, not finishing his sentence. The soldier turned to his right and stared down at the analyst, surprise and confusion etched into his features. "You know," stated Steve, his voice low with an emotion Anna couldn't recognise. It was a mixture of bewilderment with disappointment.

Anna smiled. "I know," she confirmed, still not meeting his eyes.

Steve swallowed and continued the walk down the corridor toward the double-doors. Like Anna, he kept his eyes straight. "How long have you known?"

"Does it matter?" confronted the analyst, trying her hardest not to roll her eyes. "It's nothing ground-breaking. You're only America's first superhero. The celebrated _Captain America_." The sarcasm was strong and it seeped into her tone.

"Dr. Wellington," said Steve, seemingly fighting for words. He opened his mouth and closed it, his lips forming a thin tight line.

"Captain," retorted Anna, an emotionless visage trapped upon her face.

"Look," began Steve, frowning. "I'm sorry if my not telling you about who I was upset you, but I never lied to you. I just didn't think it was important-"

"You mean SHIELD," clarified Anna, shaking her head. She sighed and backed away from Steve, holding up her hand to stop him when he made to move closer. "SHIELD didn't think it was important."

"No, I-"

"It's OK. We both have orders to follow. We have to meet Coulson at the helipad to be transferred to SHIELD's new mobile base. Let's not complicate things." The woman moved forward again, striding toward the doors leading out to the helipad. A three-hour journey awaited them. "Coming, Captain?"

Steve said nothing. He merely followed her lead, a frown replacing his carefree smile.

* * *

The flight to SHIELD's helicarrier was uncomfortable. Upon being shepherded into a jetplane with Coulson, Rogers and two other SHIELD agents, Anna buckled herself into her seat and was surprised to find the third agent, a blonde female, holding out a small MP3 player. Anna accepted the device and switched it on, the pink iPod Shuffle contrasting greatly with her black SHIELD uniform. Anna turned the music player over in her hands and looked down at the engraving.

_To calm your nerves. - T_

Smiling despite herself, Anna placed the earbuds in her ears and clicked through to the first song, the sounds of Ludwig van Beethoven soothing her nerves. Looking up from the iPod, Anna caught Steve's eyes as he stared at the bubblegum pink square in her hands. Anna pocketed the player and spent the rest of the flight ignoring Steve's constant glances, and his conversation with Coulson.

* * *

The helicarrier, she learnt, was one of Stark Industries' greatest achievements. Upon exiting the jetplane, she, Rogers and newly introducted Dr. Bruce Banner had been shepherded inside the flight-carrier. Black Widow, a red-headed woman named Natasha Romanoff, escorted them to SHIELD's main base where Fury and the rest of his team waited.

"Welcome, Dr. Wellington," said Fury, greeting the analyst with a proud see?-you-can't-defy-me smile. "We're happy to have you aboard."

Anna's smile was grim. "I'm fairly certain this counts as kidnapping by government agency," she muttered, ignoring Banner's troubled stare.

"You were kidnapped?" asked Banner, stepping forward, looking between Anna and Fury behind his wire-framed glasses.

"Dr. Banner," interrupted Fury, trying to diffuse the situation, "no one upon this aircraft was kidnapped. Please," instructed the director, "there is no need to be alarmed. Or _angered_. Dr. Wellington is the best this side of the country has to offer in technical analysis. We needed her. We called her in."

Banner turned to Anna. "I was called in, too," he said, and for a moment a mutual truce passed over the two. Both upon the helicarrier against their wishes, realised Anna.

"Dr. Wellington," commanded Fury, demanding her attention. "Agent Hill will show you to your workspace and office. We need you to pull everything you can on Loki and the tesseract. An agent will be with you shortly. Maybe even Banner."

Anna turned away, passing a solemn looking Steve Rogers and placid Agent Coulson.

"And Dr.?" called Fury, causing Anna to turn back to face him. "Contact Stark. Maybe he'll listen to you."

The analyst rolled her eyes. "I very much doubt that."

* * *

**AN: Ahh, again, thank you for all the reviews and feedback! Whenever I get a lot of feedback, I try to update ASAP. Hopefully this chapter is up to standard!**

**A little more Steve/Anna action in this one, and there will be a lot more to come once Tony Stark gets in the picture. I have a lot of great scenes coming up, so keep your eyes peeled for those (and future chapters)! One more filler-ish chapter to come (introducing the rest of the cast), and then it's more action based! **

**I also realised I've nearly hit 100 reviews before posting my tenth chapter! It would be amazing if I hit that before posting Ch. 10! **

**Please Review! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Recruited - Chapter Ten**

**MAJOR SPOILERS FOR "AVENGERS (ASSEMBLE)" INSIDE**

_Avengers Dialogue / Scenes inside. _

The office was a large room with wide glass windows and ivory-coloured sound-proofed walls. It housed an assortment of tracking and computer equipment, most noticeably the vast silver scanners and glass digital screens. Anna entered the room with an appreciative smile, slinking toward the glass displays. She dropped the iPod onto the silver painted desk, tucking the headphones underneath the music player. It was sweet of Tony, she realised, to have gifted her the device. But why an iPod? Tony had frequently mocked Apple Inc. and its merchandise, telling her it was ten to fifteen years behind in advancements when compared to Stark Industries' technology. What was the importance of the device? Surely Tony hadn't just been… nice?

Her thoughts flitted back their last conversation: _"SHIELD is up to something. I don't know what, but I intend to find out what it is. I need you to keep your ear to the ground, Annie. Listen."_

An ear to the ground.

Listen.

An ear to the ground.

_Listen. _

Anna snatched the iPod back from the smooth surface of the table and placed the earbuds in her ears again, switching the device on, listening to the first song. Tony knew Anna had been raised listening to classical music, and the two had often debated over which of Beethoven's symphonies was the greatest masterpiece: Stark had argued it was Symphony No. 9, whilst Anna vowed it was Symphony No. 3.

So why was Symphony No. 7, Op. 92, A Major playing and why was it incorrectly labelled as _"Symphony No. 7, OS. 9023, ACPI"?_

Her thoughts, though somewhat scrambled, automatically spied the computer abbreviations hidden inside the title. "You have got to be kidding me," she muttered, pushing back a loose copper curl as she studied the letters. She debated tying her hair into a tighter bun, but she realised it would only pull at her scalp, and the last thing she needed was more discomfort; the SHIELD uniform was uncomfortable enough.

The analyst moved over toward the first set of digital computer screens and was pleasantly surprised to find the words "Welcome Dr. Wellington" displayed on the screensaver. She tapped the display with three fingers and wiped the screensaver away, discovering SHIELD's collective interface. Anna moved around the computer system, wondering where the information feeder was located. She halted her movement when the door to the office opened, and Dr. Bruce Banner stepped inside.

The doctor greeted Anna with a polite wave of his hand, his brown hair speckled with grey strands. He was a slim man and seemingly harmless, but Anna had watched the footage Stark had prepared merely hours ago. "Hi," said Banner, a small smile on his face. "Fury said I could work in here. That OK with you?"

Anna nodded her head and backed away from the screens, interested to find out what Banner would be doing during his stay upon the helicarrier. "The company would be nice," said Anna, putting Tony's well-hidden schemes to the back of her mind for a few moments. "SHIELD's had me locked away for almost a week. The only company I've had is Agent Coulson and security cameras." _And Captain America,_ she thought. Why had she omitted this information? She wasn't angry at Steve for withholding the information, just annoyed. She thought of Steve as an ally, another person caught up in SHIELD's schemes, but it turned out that Dr. Banner fit the description better than the war-hero.

He, too, looked disgruntled.

"You're kidding?"

"I wish," said Anna, shrugging her shoulders. "Their original tech was killed, so here I am." She gestured to the interior of the room, and to the other displays she had ignored. "What is it you're supposed to be doing?"

Banner cleared his throat and pulled a glass monitor toward him. "I'm looking for Loki and signals of the tesseract. We find the signals, we find Loki." He paused, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "Rogers said you work for Tony Stark?"

"I do," responded Anna, pulling at the material of her uniform with a frown. "Or did. I'm not sure how long I'll be with SHIELD. If I had any say in the matter, I wouldn't be here at all. I'm guessing you wouldn't be here either, Dr. Banner."

Banner smiled. "Call me Bruce."

The analyst smiled. "If I continue to call you Dr., you won't go all… green and mad on me, will you?"

The doctor laughed quietly and shook his head. "I promise."

Anna shrugged. "Good enough for me," she said, and she turned back to her monitors, wondering what the hell Tony wanted her to do with the numbers.

* * *

"Alright," said Banner, staring at his findings two and a half hours later.

He and Anna had spent the better half of the time in the lab working on their own projects. Anna idly searched the computers for information relating to the tesseract, using her mathematical background to dissect the data. She scoured the internet for all information relating to Norse mythology, and the Cube's history. It was a long-winded task, and the information often contrasted with other sources. Upon hearing Banner's slight cry of triumph, the analyst lifted her head.

"Did you find something?"

Banner nodded his head, taking off his glasses and hooking the arm beneath the collar of his shirt. "I need to find Fury," he explained. "I've been looking for signs of the tesseract, and I think I located it. It's not this side of the ocean, we have to take the carrier to Europe." He shot the analyst a short smile before exiting the room, leaving Anna to her thoughts and research.

"Fantastic," muttered the analyst through a scowl, "the first time I go to Europe, I'm trapped on a government plane." She grabbed the iPod from behind her and glanced back down at the title. "OK, Tony. Let's see what you have planned. And then maybe I'll take you up on that vacation offer." Anna swiped the interface clean and looked back down at the song title. "Number seven," she murmured, looking around the display for her data input screen.

She hit the operating system button with her finger and moved it along to view the seventh slide of the OS. Glancing back down at the numbers and then back up at the screen, Anna was surprised to find a key-code password needed: eight characters in total.

"Well, here goes nothing," murmured the young woman, typing in the characters 9-0-2-3-A-C-P-I. She hit the enter button and waited.

Nothing happened.

"That was a bust," she muttered, trying to hide her disappointment. Maybe Tony hadn't sent her a hidden message, maybe he was lazy and didn't know how to label songs correctly. Maybe he had had Happy do it. _That would make sense, _she conceded.

And then a picture of a jet lit up the screen, its outline coloured in a gleaming white in contrast to the burnt orange text.

Dozens of thoughts flooded her mind, the most obvious being: what would Tony need with a jet?

The image changed, and bold red lettering flashed on the monitor.

**"OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS". **

Anna cursed and watched as the monitor flashed red. But she had no time to contemplate what the hell she had just done as the screen faded to black, and a typing cursor flickered on and off.

__ _ _ _ Thanks for the info, Annie. _ _ _ _ _

__ _ _ _ Hide all . I'm running this system now. _ _ _ __

__ _ _ _ I'll be there soon. _ _ _ __

The woman hastily wiped away the screen, deleting the footprints she had made.

And before she could stop the sound from leaving her mouth, Anna laughed. _Stark Industries +1, SHIELD 0. _

* * *

When the sky fell dark, Banner returned to the lab. The carrier had changed course, crossing the Atlantic ocean with such speed it made Anna feel decidedly nauseated. Banner's inclination about Europe had been right, and Fury was thankful to have found a trace of Loki and the tesseract.

Anna rubbed her eyes and yawned, the day taking its toll on her. How long had it been since she had slept? She cleared her glass screen, the graphs and data fading to nothing. She stretched her arms out in front of her and pushed the glass display back into its holding position high above her head. Dr. Banner was focusing on his research, his eyes glossed over in thought. Trying not to interrupt his work, Anna slipped out of the research lab and moved across the third level, making her way to the SHIELD base.

She walked along the upper level, finding Steve Rogers, Coulson and Fury conversing in hushed tones. Behind them, the twenty SHIELD agents and engineers studied the earlier energy traces of the tesseract.

As she came closer to them, Coulson inclined his head to her in greeting. "Dr. Wellington," said the Agent.

Fury stared at her, his gaze unblinking. "How is the research coming, Doc?"

Anna stopped before them, accepting Steve's gaze with a slight smile. "It's going OK. I'm waiting for your systems to analyse the data. It's a lot of information. It might take some time."

"And what will it tell us?" asked Fury.

"With the information that Dr. Banner has provided me with, it should pinpoint the exact location of the tesseract and its energy. The scan should be finished in twenty minutes." Anna glanced at the round table with a furtive look, and she was thankful when Coulson gestured for her to take a seat. She felt as though she'd been on her feet for days. She sank into the chair, liking the feel of the plush grey padding. She rested her head in her hand, the elbow propped on the table, when a shadow passed over her.

_"_Uh, hi," greeted Steve, towering above the female.

Anna looked up at him; his boyish face exhibited a sheepish smile. "Hey, Steve," replied Anna, keeping her voice even.

Steve let out a breath of hot air, and he stumbled for words. "I'm sorry," he said after a minute of silence; Fury and Coulson listened to the ongoing conversation with interest. "I should've told you who I was from the beginning. And I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell me? I'd have found out eventually."

The Captain scratched the back of his neck, and his face was flushed. "I guess I just wanted you to know the real me," answered Steve. He shook his head. "All anyone knows about me in this year is that I'm Captain America. I thought I'd introduce myself as Steve."

"From what I've heard about you," countered Anna, "the Captain is a part of you."

Steve smiled, a truthful small grin forming on his face. "You'd heard of me?" He asked.

"I'd read about you," clarified Anna. "I studied the Second World War in detail, and-" she paused and whipped around in her chair to stare at the two SHIELD employees. "And I now see why that would come in useful," she declared, shooting a glare at Coulson.

Steve blinked at the new information. "I thought you were a mathematician?"

"I am. History is an interest of mine. I took some classes."

"Classes?" repeated Steve.

Anna scratched her cheek. "A degree in it," she confirmed.

"That's impressive."

"Not really," said Anna, shrugging her shoulders. "The education system has changed a lot in the last seventy years. It's easier to achieve."

Coulson stepped forward, cutting off Steve's response. "She's being modest," said Coulson, shaking his head, looking up at the soldier. "Dr. Wellington has an impressive resume that extends five pages." He turned to face the brunette. "Prior to you coming on board with SHIELD, I read your thesis. Highly interesting modes of behaviour consisting to mathematics and formulae. And your report on the after effects of the war on its patrons was highly informative. I whole-heartedly supported your argument. It is one of the reasons why we chose you."

The twenty-seven-year-old blinked, thoroughly surprised. That was weird and oddly comforting, Anna told herself. The only people she knew who had read her dissertation were her NYU professors, her half-brother Patrick, and Stark. "Oh," she said, "thank you." _I think._

Steve smiled. "Maybe I could read it sometime?"

"I don't have a copy with me, but sure," agreed Anna.

Director Fury left the group and relocated to his office, leaving Steve, Coulson and Anna to talk. The analyst zoned out of the conversation, resting her cheek in her hand. The past few days had blurred past her, and it was hard to believe she was now onboard a flying ship heading to mainland Europe. Had she been back in New York, she would be spending the day in her office, on her very own floor, eating take-out and working on the Clean Energy project Stark had concocted one night during a football game. He had called Anna out of a friend's birthday party to share his thoughts, leaving Anna excited about the project but also highly annoyed with his timing. But that was her job - on call whenever and wherever.

The job definitely had its plusses though - a fantastic seven-figure salary with the extra bonuses of a health plan, entrance to Stark's Malibou mansion whenever she wanted, access to the private jets, and an ever building friendship with Tony Stark.

She pulled herself out of her thoughts and focused back on the ongoing conversation.

"I mean, if it's not too much trouble-" said Coulson, his voice light and jovial, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Anna rose her brows. Who'd have thought Coulson was a Captain America fan?

"No," said Steve, folding his arms over his chest, staring straight ahead, "no, it's fine."

Coulson straightened his posture, and he followed the Captain's gaze. "It's a vintage set," he said, his voice proud. "It took me a couple of years to collect them all." An awkward silence. "You're mint," he added, smiling. It was the first non-grim smile of Coulson's Anna had seen. "Slight foxing around the edges, but-," he was interrupted by one of the techs.

The computers flashed, and the blinking orange lights signalled a trace. "We've got a hit," declared one of the agents, wheeling back in his desk chair to gesture to the computer screen. "Sixty-seven percent match."

At this, Fury, who had returned merely moments before, turned to face the agent, his one good eye viewing the monitor with interest.

"Wait," said the same Agent, furrowing his brows. "Cross-match. Seventy-nine percent." He tapped away at his keyboard, pulling up his findings.

Agent Coulson moved away from Steve, hurrying toward the row of computers. "Location?" he asked, staring at the new information.

The second agent zoomed in on the location, the red dot pin-pointing the location of Loki. "Stuttgart, Germany. 28 Konigstrasse. He's not exactly hiding."

From her seat behind Steve, Anna watched as Director Fury called to the soldier.

"Good work, Doctor Wellington," praised the Director, inclining his head toward her. "Captain," said Fury, his voice hard, his expression even-tempered. "You're up."

Steve took in a breath. He nodded his head and made to leave the base. Before she knew what she was doing, Anna had leapt from her seat and followed him out of the main room and along one of the many steel corridors upon the helicarrier.

"You're going after him alone?" asked Anna, finding it hard to keep up with Steve's strides. She hurried to match his pace, and she looked up at him with a disbelieving stare. "I've been doing research on Loki all afternoon. The guy is a God, Steve. He's powerful. And dangerous."

Steve shot her a glance, his features set. His decision made. "Then someone should stop him."

"Are you forgetting the part where I mentioned he's a _God?"_

"Dr. Wellington," said Steve, stopping in his tracks. He ran a hand through his hair, mussing the blonde strands. "You really don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine." A pause. "I promise."

Anna was incredulous. "Against a _God_?"

Steve smiled. "I only make promises I can keep," he said, and he marched along the corridor, away from Anna.

"I'll hold you to that," she called after him, her frown still in place.

* * *

The next two hours dragged on. Anna returned to the lab to face the rest of her research on the tesseract. She greeted Dr. Banner with a short smile, and filled him in on the events leading to Steve and Black Widow's departure.

Anna hauled a metallic stool over toward her monitors and sat back down, her eyes scanning through the new information her tests had conjured. It was boring work, she conceded, and her mathematical brain could only dissect so much. She had never been the brightest science student. It was no wonder why SHIELD wanted Tony Stark: his weaponry and genius was indispensable.

"Are you okay?" asked Banner, fifteen minutes into the first hour. "You look a little worried. Is it Rogers?"

The analyst ignored him, trying to analyse her thoughts.

Banner smiled and looked back at his monitors. "Are you two an item?"

Anna's head shot up, her stare affronted. "Excuse me?"

"It's just," began Banner, choosing his words slowly and carefully, "he seems to have this effect on you. When I mention his name, you get emotional."

"Emotional?" repeated Anna, her voice displaying her incredulity.

Banner bit his lip, an amused smirk on his face. "Maybe I've got it wrong," he conceded, turning back to his work, trying to keep his voice casual with a hint of teasing. "But earlier, when I mentioned him, you seemed annoyed. And now you're worried. Stressed almost. Are you worried for him?"

"He's going to fight a God."

"Steve is strong," commented Banner. "He's fast. And from what I've heard about his shield, it's pretty indestructible."

Anna sighed and ran a hand through her tangled hair. "Am I the only one on this ship that doesn't think Steve's going to win this fight alone? Super-soldier versus God. I have my money on the Asgardian."

The doctor merely shrugged his shoulders. "I guess we'll see."

Their conversation was halted by the sound of the public address system purring to life. The speakers buzzed with sound, and an AI's voice announced: "_Hostile is on board. All security agents to escort Hostile to holding case." _

"Looks like they got him," mused Banner, straightening his glasses, and the two doctors watched as Loki, a dark-haired man dressed in black and emerald was guided to what could only be the holding room.

Anna turned, disturbed at the sight of the God, and a surprised gasp left her mouth at the man standing before her.

"Hey, Annie," said Stark, his lilt teasing, a half-smirk cast upon his face, his dark suit immaculate. "Missed me?"

* * *

**AN: Wow. Over 40 reviews on the last chapter. You guys are _incredible._**

**I never expected this story to attract so much attention. I realised there was a huge lack of Steve/OC stories on here, so I thought I'd write my own. I never thought I'd hit over one-hundred reviews before posting the tenth chapter, let alone receiving 133 reviews. Again, _wow._ **

**Before you exit out of this page, I have a couple of questions for you: **

**1) What do you think of the length of this chapter? It's the longest chapter of this story, and I'll admit I found it really hard to write (I prefer writing my 1500 word chapters - keeping it short and to the point). Which do you prefer? If you prefer the longer chapters, I'll keep up with those (note: it may take a little longer to update).**

**2) What do you think of this chapter? A few hints toward their budding friendship and romance in this chapter. I found it fun to write. Steve is just so… Steve! **

**3) What would you like to see happen? I'm not making any promises, but I'd love to see some input. **

**Also, a few people have asked to know a little more about "me". And wanted a way to talk other than PMs/Reviews. If you're interested, you can follow me on Twitter (at)daisylovestea **

**So… Please Review! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Recruited - Chapter Eleven**

"Iridium. What do they need the iridium for?"

Anna and Stark followed Agent Coulson down the corridor leading to the main level of the helicarrier. The genius crept forward, past one of the armed SHIELD guards, explaining to the Agent how to rekindle his love. "It's a stabilsing agent," called Stark, answering Banner's just voiced question. "Look, what I'm saying is: pick a weekend," said the billionaire, turning back to Coulson, "I'll fly you to Portland." As they neared the group, Stark straightened his tie. "It means the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at SHIELD."

Anna crept away from her boss, opting to stand closer to Agent Coulson and Steve Rogers on the other side of the table, eyeing the newcomer with interest. He was tall and broad, his physique nearly matched with Steve's. His long blonde, dirt-smeared hair touched his shoulders, and his face was unshaven and worn.

"No hard feelings, point-break. You've got a mean swing," said Stark, patting the blonde's arm condescendingly. Anna closed her eyes in brief exasperation. "Also," continued the billionaire, "it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants." He moved closer to the principal digital screens and stared at the readings. He called to the technical Agents, asking them to update the findings. And then he pointed to the right, gesturing to a young male Agent. "That man is playing Gallagher. He thought we wouldn't notice, but we did." He pointed his finger at the culprit in true Stark fashion before turning back to the monitors. He frowned, and lifted a hand to cover his left eye.

_Oh, God, _thought Anna. _Surely he's not going to-_

"How does Fury even see these?" asked Stark, turning back to the miss-matched group. He looked specifically at Coulson and Hill.

Agent Hill folded her arms across her chest. "He turns," she said.

And that was all it took. A laugh escaped Anna's lips, and the two Agents turned to her with identical reprimanding looks.

"That's exhausting," commented Stark, catching Anna's gaze and winking before commanding the screens. He stroked the last display with his index finger and changed the interface. "The rest of the raw materials," he continued, "Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. The only major component he still needs is a power source of high energy density." Anna watched Stark's fingers as they ran along the underneath of the computers, and she raised her brows as she spied him inserting a micro reader into one of the ports. Anna glanced around the group, and she appeared to be the only one to have noticed.

Stark Industries +2, SHIELD 0.

"Something to… kick-start the cube," said Stark, turning back to face the group, sliding his hands into his pockets to hide the casing of the reader.

"When did you become an expert in thermo-nuclear astrophysics?" asked Agent Hill, her tone showcasing her disdain for the male.

Stark smiled and retaliated with a carefree raise of his brows. "Last night."

Hill merely stared in response.

"The packet," continued Stark, moving closer to the table. "Selvig's notes. The extraction theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?" He turned to his employee. "Not that I expect SHIELD to have filled you in on every little detail, Annie. But I could use another great mind here."

Steve spoke up. "Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?" He asked, looking toward Stark.

Dr. Banner stopped his pacing, holding his glasses in his hands. "He'd have to heat the Cube to one-hundred-and-twenty-million kelvin just to break through the barrier-"

"Unless," interrupted Stark, walking closer to the two Doctors. "Selvig has figured out how stabilise the quantum-tunnelling effect."

Banner nodded. "Well, if he could do that, he could achieve heavy ion-fusion at any reactor on the planet."

"Finally," said Stark, moving closer to Dr. Banner, gesturing to the man with his hand. "Someone who speaks English."

From his seat at the table, Steve raised his brows. "Is that what just happened?" he asked, sounding terribly confused. He looked to his left and caught Anna's eye; the doctor smiled slightly, her ears trained on the two geniuses behind her.

"It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner," said Stark, shaking Banner's hand with his firm grip. "Your work on the anti-electron collisions is unparalleled." Anna blinked in surprise. No comment on Banner's alter-ego? Was Stark being… polite? "And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster."

_There we go,_ thought the analyst.

Banner didn't respond immediately. He merely swallowed and forced out a short, "Thanks."

And that was when Fury intervened. "Dr. Banner and Dr. Wellington are only here to track the Cube. I was hoping you might join them."

"Let's start with that stick of his," added Steve, looking up at the Director. "It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon." He glanced to his left, looking at the three geniuses for some form of confirmation.

"I don't know about that," said Fury, "but it is powered by the Cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys."

"Monkeys?" repeated the blonde man clad in expensive, heavy-looking armour. "I do not understand."

"I do!" exclaimed Steve, pointing his finger at the blonde.

Beside her, Stark rolled his eyes and Anna could barely contain her laughter. The room was silent.

"I-," Steve turned to look at Anna, a slight rose hue colouring his cheeks. "I understood that reference."

Stark turned to Anna with a "who-the-hell-is-this-guy?" raise of his brows, and Anna smiled despite herself. "Shall we play, Doctors?" asked her employer, eager to get to work.

"Let's play," agreed Banner, and, like Steve, he gestured for Anna to go first, but Stark hurried in front, seemingly already knowing the route toward the lab.

* * *

Back inside the lab, Anna continued her work in locating the tesseract. She ran numerous codes and scans through the computers, but came up with naught. Opposite her, Banner and Stark worked together in finding as much information on Loki's sceptre as they could. It was a heavy golden spear with a piercing blue light. A deadly blue light, realised Anna. She looked away from it and back toward her displays, holding back a sigh.

"The Gamma rays are definitely consistent with Selvig's reports on the tesseract," confirmed Banner, gliding his scanner over the golden sceptre. "But it's going to take weeks to process."

"If we bypass their main frame," said Stark, explaining the route he had devised inside his head. It should, explained Stark, cut that time in half, leading them to an answer in a much shorter time frame.

Banner laughed. "And all I packed was a toothbrush," he joked.

Stark laughed. "You know, you should come by Stark Towers sometime. The top ten floors are all R and D. You'd love it. It's candy land, isn't it, Annie?"

"My floor is," sang the analyst, smirking, eyeing the new graphs she had been sent by the other SHIELD technical agents. She spread the data out evenly on the monitor.

"Thanks, but," Banner paused, and he turned to the brunette. "You have a floor to yourself?"

"I'm very indispensable, aren't I, Tony?"

"She likes to think so," said Stark. "It's really because she's a bit like you in the rage department. I couldn't have anyone else near her-"

"What?" laughed Anna, incredulous.

"You know you're a bit of a nightmare to work with. You're smarter than the rest of my Stark employees. I really didn't want to have to employ someone to clean up after the blood baths. And you're my only female employee on the upper floors. I wouldn't want to watch a mud-wrestle between two men, would you?"

Banner reigned in the conversation. "I'll pass," he said. "The last time I was in New York, I kind of broke… Harlem."

"Well," said Stark, turning away from Anna as he passed Banner's workstation. "I promise a stress-free environment. No surprises." And without warning, he prodded Banner in the back with a shocker-wand, peering into the Doctor's eyes with a scrutinising look.

Banner cried out with surprise, and he turned to Stark with an incredulous look.

"Hey," called a voice from the door.

The three doctors - for Stark had his PhD, but he didn't like to bring it up in conversation -, looked up to find Steve Rogers standing just outside the room.

"Nothing?" questioned Stark, ignoring the Captain's complaint, facing Banner with an expectant stare.

"Are you nuts?" asked Steve, marching inside.

"Jury's still out," said Stark, barely glancing at the hero. "You really have a lid on it, don't you? What is it? Mellow jazz? Bongo-drums? Huge bag of weed?"

"Is everything a joke to you?"

Stark merely stared at the former soldier. "Funny things are."

Steve's glower intensified, his lips forming a tight line. His eyes flashed to Anna before landing back on Stark. "Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny. No offence, doc."

"No, it's alright," said Banner, holding one hand in the air to halt any further arguments. He paused. "I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle… pointy things."

"You're tip-toeing, big man. You need to strut."

"And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark," cut in Steve, frowning.

Stark laughed. "You think I'm not? Why did Fury call us in? Why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation until I have all the variables."

"You think Fury's hiding something?" deduced Steve, his brows furrowing.

"Fury's a spy. Cap, he's _the _spy. His secrets have secrets." Stark delved his hand into the bag of fruit and grabbed a handful of the small berries. He popped them into his mouth. "It's bugging them, too, isn't it?"

"Yes," said Anna, brushing away loose strands of copper hair.

"Uh," began Banner, shaking his head. "I just want to finish my work here, and-"

"Doctor?" asked Steve, his expression stern.

"A warm light for all mankind. Loki's jab at Fury about the cube…"

Steve nodded his head. "I heard it."

"Well, I think that was meant for you," said Banner, turning to his right to point to Stark. Anna remained on her stool in between the doctors, her gaze directed on Banner.

Instead of responding, Stark thrust out his hand and offered the bag of fruit to the two doctors. Anna accepted the fruit with a quiet "thanks,", whilst Banner stole a handful and turned back to face the Captain.

Banner continued voicing his thoughts. "Even if Barton didn't tell him, it was still all over the news."

"Stark Tower?" questioned Steve, raising one brow. "That big ugly-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Stark and Anna turned toward the soldier with identical looks of displeasure at his choice of words.

"…building in New York?" finished Steve.

"It's powered by an Arc reactor," explained Banner, placing a blueberry in his mouth. "A self-sustaining energy source. That building will run itself for, what, a year?"

"It's just the prototype," said Stark, offering another handful of blueberries to the analyst. Anna smiled up at him in gratitude; her stomach was empty. Didn't SHIELD feed its recruits? The billionaire turned to Rogers. "I'm kind of the only name in clean energy right now. It's what he's getting at."

"So," said Banner, coming to his final question, "why didn't SHIELD bring Stark and Anna in on the tesseract project? What are they doing in the energy business in the first place?"

Stark moved past the two doctors, coming to stand on the other side of the desk. He pulled out his smartphone from his pocket and stared down at it. "I should probably look into that once my decryption programme finishes breaking in to all of SHIELD's secure files."

Steve turned his gaze to Stark. "I'm sorry, did you just say-"

"JARVIS has been running it since I hit the bridge." Stark looked to his right and nodded his head at Anna. "You can thank Anna. She helped write and install the programme. Thank you, by the way," said Stark, inclining his head toward the female. "In a few hours, I'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide."

Steve looked from Stark, to Banner, and finally rested his gaze on Anna.

Stark smirked. "Blueberry?" He asked, holding the bag out to the Captain.

"Yet you're confused about why they didn't want you around," chastised Steve, his voice hard.

Stark rolled his eyes. "An intelligence organisation that fears intelligence? Historically, not awesome. Want proof? Ask to read Annie's undergrad. papers. Or ask her yourself."

Anna remained silent, contemplating Banner's previous questions.

Steve kept his stare cast on Stark. "I think Loki is trying to wind us up," he explained. "This is man who means to start a war and if we don't stay focused, he'll succeed."

Anna glanced up at Steve to find him staring at her, silently willing her to agree with him.

"We have orders," finished the soldier. "We should follow them."

"Following is not really my style." Stark grabbed a handful of the fruit and tossed them in his mouth.

Steve laughed, his facial features warped into a disgusted glare. "And you're all about style, aren't you?"

Stark looked to his left, exaggerating his facial expression. "Of the people in this room," he began, "which one is a) wearing a spangly outfit, and b) not of use?"

The captain didn't retaliate. He merely stared down at Stark with his glare plastered on his face.

"Tony," cut in Anna, shaking her head, signalling that he had gone too far.

Banner sighed. "Steve," he said. "Tell me none of this smells a little funky to you?"

"Dr. Wellington?"

Upon hearing Steve call her name, the female looked up. She worried her lip between her teeth and sighed. "I'm with them on this, Steve. I'm not SHIELD's biggest fan. I'm not their puppet either. It doesn't seem right. If I'm going to follow orders from anyone, it's my boss. Not Fury."

Steve looked away. "Just find the damn cube," he muttered. And he strode out of the lab, a dark scowl pulling at his lips.

As the door to the lab closed, Stark handed the aluminium bag of fruit to Anna and crossed over to the other side of the lab.

"That's the guy my Dad never shut up about?" asked Stark, pulling one of the glass displays in front of him. "I'm wondering if they shouldn't have kept him on ice."

Anna rolled her eyes at his words, and busied herself with her research. She tapped the display closest to her and watched as the graphs levelled out, her findings displayed in royal blue.

Banner choked out a short laugh. "The guy's not wrong about Loki. He does have the jump on us."

The analyst looked up at the two men. "What actually happened in Stuttgart?" she asked. "You said you'd tell me, and you never did."

Stark looked at the woman from over his shoulder. "We fought. I saved Captain's life. Thor came and snatched him from the plane. We fought. Rogers hid behind his shield. We brought Loki back here."

"Wait," said Anna, frowning. "You didn't actually fight him?"

"Rogers?"

"No, Loki."

"No. He sat on the sidelines."

Anna's confused expression deepened. "You mean a God intent on starting a war against all humans just… sat on the side and didn't do anything to evade capture?"

"Mhm," hummed Stark, turning to face her. "What is it you're getting at, sunshine?"

"It doesn't seem right."

"He's a God from another world. There's nothing right about that."

"No," cut in Anna, "I mean, why would he let himself get captured? Why go down without a fight?"

"Dignity," said Stark, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"No," said Anna. "I think it's more than that."

Stark shook his head. He returned to Banner's earlier point and elaborated his thoughts on how Loki would be defeated and sent back into space.

Banner turned away from his work and faced the two. "I'll read all about it."

"Or you'll be suiting up with the rest of us. Minus you, of course, Annie."

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing," she commented. "Perfectly happy not being a superhero, thank you."

Stark smiled.

"No, you see," said Banner, changing his work interface. "I don't get a suit of armour. I'm exposed." His voice took on a dark tone, and he glared at the display. "Like a nerve. It's a nightmare."

"You know, I've got a cluster of shrapnel trying every second to crawl its way into my heart." He tapped the arc reactor, its light visible behind the cotton thread of his shirt. "This stops it." He walked forward, coming to stand by Banner's work station. "This little circle of light," he said, "is part of me now. It's not just armour. It's a," he paused to find right words, "terrible privilege."

At her workstation, Anna smiled as she watched the two interact. Stark had switched from being billionaire jackass to the man she was friends with. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, she called him. A little like Banner himself, she mused.

"But you can control it," said Banner.

Stark nodded. "Because I learnt how."

Banner shook his head and turned back to his work. "It's different."

"Hey," cut in Stark, wiping away Banner's slides. He pushed them to the side of the screen and stared at Banner through the glass. "I read all about your accident. I had Annie here pull up all of the info she could find. That much gamma exposure should've killed you."

Banner's eyes flickered to Anna. "So you're saying that the Hulk, the… other guy, saved my life?" He laughed. "That's nice. That's a nice sentiment. I'll save it for… what?"

Stark levelled his gaze. "I guess we'll find out," he said, coming to stand by Anna's displays, reading her findings, but the female shifted out of her seat.

She stood, stretching her arms out in front of her, and pulled the hair-tie out of her hair, letting the curls fall down to her chest.

Anna switched off her glass display and turned to Stark, meeting his stare with a casual shrug.

"Where are you going?" he asked, tone surprised.

The woman shrugged, and she wandered toward the door. "To find Steve," she said. "To apologise for your behaviour."

"That's not part of your job description," said Stark, raising his brows.

Anna sighed. "Steve isn't the bad guy here, Tony. Loki is. Steve is… wired differently."

"Oh? How so?"

"He's from the forties. He's still adjusting to this world. He doesn't appreciate all of science and technology like we do. Imagine waking up to find that seventy years had gone by, and you have no idea how any of it works."

"If I had been frozen in time for seventy years, technology wouldn't be as advanced as it is today."

She looked back at her boss with an exasperated stare. "I'm just saying don't be so harsh on Steve. He's not a bad guy, Tony."

Tony blinked. "I didn't realise you were a member of the _Captain America_ fan club," he said.

"Since yesterday. I cancelled my subscription to _All Hail the Iron Man." _

Tony smirked, seemingly thankful that their playful banter was back in full swing. "Did you pay the leavers' fee?"

"Every time I see you," quipped Anna, and she smiled, leaving the lab in search of the Captain.

* * *

**AN: Another stupidly long chapter, I apologise. I didn't want it to be this long, but as soon as I had all of the dialogue and script, it just fleshed out (and there was no other stopping point for this chapter)! And a stupidly long Author Note to follow...**

**The Avengers category is here! I've moved the story over into that section now. **

**There is a ton of dialogue in this chapter, mostly from the script. I didn't want to cut it out or change things, so I just opted to put Anna inside the scenes. Tell me what you think - did it work OK? **

**I've had a few people question my interpretation of Dr. Banner - I just want to say that I'm basing him off Mark Ruffalo's performance (not the earlier films). The story ties in with the Avengers Movie, so I'm only writing Ruffalo's character. Not Norton's or Bana's. **

**And to those of you who have asked if Anna will gain a superpower - no way. I love Anna being human. I do have some fun scenes written for later on (I might do a short series once this is completed - there will be a sequel!), but no, she'll forever be human. If you're looking for a story where the OC is magical and amazing and everybody loves her, this story isn't for you. **

**And a couple of you have asked if I've seen the film - I have! I've seen it 4 times now (it's been open for a week in the UK), and I loved it each time. So fantastic. If you want to ask me more, PM or Tweet me (at)daisylovestea**

**Aaaaaaaaand a few of you have apologised for leaving long reviews -DON'T APOLOGISE! I love long reviews. They're fantastic. I really love them. It's great getting to know what you all think. **

**Finally, a big thank you to everyone who's reviewed! I can't believe I've nearly hit 200 reviews! How crazy is that? I'm just 34 away. So crazy. **

**Please Review!**

**~LittleApril / Daisy**


	12. Chapter 12

**Recruited - Chapter Twelve**

_"Steve?"_

The analyst slipped past a pair of armed SHIELD guards, offering them a false smile as she did so. The corridor was silent save for the sound of her boots clicking on the steel floor. She had spent ten minutes searching for the super soldier, weaving in and out of groupings of guards and other SHIELD recruits. Anna turned left as she reached a fork in the corridor, searching the rooms she passed with quick glances.

"Oh!" she cried in surprise, heart beating wildly as Steve appeared before her. She breathed in deeply through her nose and exhaled. "Do you have to creep up on people?"

The Captain raised one brow. "Only when I'm being followed," he replied.

"Yeah," said Anna, scowling. "Thanks for the mini-heart attack you just gave me."

Steve smiled. "Sorry." He cocked his head to the side. "You were following me?"

Anna nodded, her breathing relaying back to its normal rate. "Yes." She paused, judging his expression. Despite his earlier altercation with Stark, Steve seemed even-tempered. "I wanted to apologise for what Tony said. He has this habit of not thinking before he speaks. It gets him in trouble. And, more often that not, it gets me in trouble, too." She let her words sink in. "And despite what you may think, Stark isn't that bad. A little… rough around the edges, but aren't we all?"

Instead of accepting her apology, Steve asked another question. "You really hacked into SHIELD's files?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Anna sighed. "Because they're up to something, and I want to know what. I'm not happy being here, Steve. SHIELD are using me as a puppet. Their last analyst was murdered. I don't feel safe here. Why should I?"

Steve frowned, unwilling to comment on her safety. "And how long will it take for your… programme to find out the information?"

The analyst copied the man's expression. "It's been running for four hours. I imagine it'll take another forty-five minutes." She stared at his face in silence, watching as he pondered something silently. "Why? What is it?"

Again, Steve did not answer her. He merely jerked his head to the right and gestured for the woman to follow him down the corridor. And, against her better judgement, she followed him without protest.

The two SHIELD recruits strode down the corridors, careful to escape the accusatory gazes of other SHIELD agents. Steve halted outside of a door marked PRIVATE. A keypad and retinal scanner were embedded into the wall beneath a sign reading _Security Clearance Needed. _

"Wait," instructed Anna, placing her hand on Steve's arm. She bent down and reached into her black boot, retrieving a second smartphone. This particular device was larger than her previous one, and had been gifted to her from Stark upon their reunion two hours previous. It was a black rectangular phone with rounded edges, a white 'on/off' button position at the bottom of the gadget. "The door needs a passcode."

She ran a finger along the exterior of the phone, and smiled. Glancing back at the passcode, Anna reached toward the silver plaque beneath the character buttons and tugged it open, revealing three port holes. The analyst turned the phone over in her hands, ejecting the three built-in USB flash drives.

"What is that?" asked Steve, frowning at the external poles.

"A digital key. I'll have the passcode in a few minutes," replied Anna, smiling. She moved forward to inject the drives into the ports, but Steve placed a hand on her shoulder and halted her movement. "What?" questioned Anna, her smile now replaced with a frown. "You have a better idea?"

"I do."

"It'll only take a few minutes," said Anna, "and it will take at least half an hour for Fury's systems to realise-". The words died in her throat. She watched as Steve gripped the doorframe in his hands, using his enhanced strength to pull the steel door from its hinges, jerking it to the side; his fingerprints now embedded into the iron.

Steve turned back to Anna with a small grin.

"Or we could just do that," conceded Anna, fighting back a smile of her own.

The soldier slipped inside the room, eyes travelling along the raised levels. He beckoned to Anna with his hand. "C'mon," he murmured, keeping his voice low.

Anna followed him inside, trying to keep her steps light. The room was dark with very little light. Three armed SHIELD guards patrolled the upper levels, protecting the vast amount of metal boxes stacked around the sides of the room. The female crept along the walkway, watching Steve for further instructions.

"Stay here," he whispered, and before she could protest, the soldier leapt from the ground and landed on the upper flooring. Steve hid from the SHIELD guards, gesturing to Anna to be quiet.

She merely stared up at him, studying the man as he hid behind a stack of boxes.

The SHIELD guards left the area, moving to patrol a second perimeter.

Steve stalked forward, his voice faint. "There's a ladder to your right," he said.

Anna hurried toward the ladder, climbing it one leg at a time. She reached the top of the steps in seconds, Steve lowering his arm for her to hold. He pulled the brunette to her feet, waiting as she righted herself.

The broad male looked to his left before turning right, stalking toward a second stack of boxes. He broke the locks and tugged the lid upwards.

"What is all this stuff?" whispered Anna, letting out the breath she had been holding, barely believing what she was seeing. She eyed the mask and weapon with undisguised disgust, watching Steve's facial expression closely.

Steve looked down, catching her gaze, his features set. "HYDRA." He hefted the machine into his arms and held it as though it was weightless, but both Steve and Anna knew the true weight of the weapon; its invisible pressure.

* * *

Steve stormed into the laboratory, Anna close on his heels. The soldier marched toward the island in the middle of the room and slammed the weapon down onto the surface, the resulting sound reverberating around the room.

"Phase 2 is SHIELD uses the cube to make weapons," announced Steve, staring at the director with disgust. "Sorry," he said, directing his gaze to Stark and Banner. "Computer was moving a little slow for us." He gestured to Anna who stood behind him.

"Rogers," began Fury, shaking his head. "We gathered everything related to the tesseract. This does not mean that we-"

"I'm sorry, Nick," cut in Stark, not sorry at all as he raised his brows, flipping the monitor outward so it faced the other three. He tapped the screen with his finger, identifying the information related to the illustrated weapon, and waited for a response.

Steve's glare remained fastened on Fury. "I was wrong, Director. The world hasn't changed a bit."

"Did you know about this?" asked Dr. Banner, gesturing to Black Widow and Thor who stood by the entrance.

The redhead moved into the room in silence, stepping closer to Fury as she did so. "You want to think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor?"

"Oh," smiled Banner, shaking his head. "I was in Calcutta. I was pretty well-removed."

Widow took a step forward, her gaze intense. "Loki is manipulating you."

"And you've been doing what exactly?" retorted Banner, frowning.

"You didn't come here because I batted my eyelashes at you," quipped Widow.

"Yes," agreed Banner, moving across the room to stand with Stark by the monitors. "And I'm not leaving just because suddenly you get a little twitchy." He pulled the monitor toward him, gesturing to the outline of SHIELD's weaponry. "I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction."

Silence.

And then Fury spoke up. "Because of him," he said, jabbing his finger at the blonde God.

The God of Thunder frowned, raising his hand to his chest. "Me?"

As the team spoke, Anna crept closer to Stark. She tapped his shoulder, and he turned his monitor toward her, allowing the analyst to read the data. Anna's eyes widened with each word she read. She turned to her boss with a questioning stare, and Stark nodded his head; a silent conversation between two great minds.

"Last year," said Fury, his gaze travelling around the room. It landed on Anna and she returned it with a fiery stare of her own. "Earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge that levelled a small town. We learnt that not only are we alone, but that we are hopelessly, _hilariously_, outgunned."

Thor shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "My people want nothing but peace with your planet."

"Except your brother," murmured Anna, voicing her thoughts aloud. Beside her, Stark snorted.

Fury shot the brunette a dark stare. He turned back to the God. "But you're not the only people out there, are you? And you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people that can't be matched; that can't be controlled."

Steve shook his head. "Like you controlled the cube?" he asked, levelling Fury's gaze.

Thor stepped closer to Fury, a powerfully dark stare on his face. "Your work with the tesseract is what drew Loki to it. And his allies." He stared around the room, imploring the other inhabitants to listen to his words. "It is a signal to all the realms that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war."

"A higher form?" frowned Steve, shaking his head in confusion.

"You forced our hand," said Fury. "We had to come up with someth-"

"A nuclear deterent," interrupted Stark, "because that always calms everything right down."

"Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?" hissed Fury, seemingly unable to comprehend the attitude he was receiving.

Steve stepped forward. "I'm sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck deep in-"

"Wait, wait. Hold on," said Stark, shaking his head, holding his hand up to halt the conversation. "How is this now about me?"

Steve raised a brow. "I'm sorry," he said, his sarcasm out in full force. "Isn't everything?"

Anna stepped between the two men, shaking her head. "This isn't helping," she told them.

"I thought humans were more evolved than this," spat Thor, his tone disgusted with their behaviour.

Fury frowned. "Excuse me, do we come to your planet and blow stuff up?"

A mass conversation broke out, words garbled. Arguments proceeded. Anna listened as Stark insulted Steve once again, the soldier retaliating with more biting words. Opposite them, Thor and Fury exchanged jarring utterances, Thor demanding to know the reasoning behind Fury's selection of heroes.

"Are you boys really that naive?" laughed Widow. "SHIELD monitors potential threats."

Beside her, Banner folded his arms and laughed. "Captain America is on a threat list?"

Widow stared back at him nonplussed. "We all are."

"I'm on a threat list?" hissed Anna, surprise and irritation written all over her young face. Her jaw slackened. She turned to Fury with a shocked and appalled expression. "I'm on a threat list?" she repeated.

"Your knowledge of technological systems is unparalleled," said Fury, his stare even. "You know what a fire sale is, Dr. Wellington?"

"Yes."

Fury's gaze intensified at her answer. "You know how to start one?" he asked, emphasising his words.

"Yes," uttered Anna, nodding once, understanding where the conversation was heading. "Yes, I know _how_ to start one, but it _doesn't _mean I would. I'm_ not_ a threat-"

"What's a fire sale?" questioned Steve, furrowing his brow.

"It's an attack on computer systems," murmured Anna, lowering her voice. "A fire sale would override the government's control on its computers. It has three stages, each designed to corrupt and delete the country's reliance upon technology." She swallowed back the lump in her throat. "I would _never_-"

"Just like you didn't hack into my system and give all our information to Stark?" said Fury.

"Threatened!" called Stark, pointing at his analyst with a mock-horrified expression. He winked. "I feel threatened!"

The arguments stilled for a moment. Anna stood by Stark, the glare still on her face. She ignored Steve's glance and focused her anger on Fury and the rest of SHIELD. How dare they accuse her of something she had no intention of doing? Loki was the villain. Not her. Not Stark.

"You speak of control," mocked Thor, shaking his head. "Yet you court chaos."

"That's his ammo, isn't it?" asked Banner, swallowing thickly. "I mean… what are we? A team? No, no. We're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're a time-bomb."

Fury turned away from Anna and Stark to face Banner. He stared at the doctor with a stern expression. "You," he said, "need to step away."

Tony shook his head, and gestured to Banner before resting his arm on Steve's shoulder. "Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?"

"You know damn well why," said Steve, hitting Stark's hand away. "Back off."

"Oh, I'm starting to want you to make me," replied Stark, his stare fixed on the Captain's face.

Anna stepped between them once more, pushing Stark away with her hand. "Tony," she hissed.

But Steve stepped forward. "Yeah," he said, a derisive laugh leaving his mouth. "Big man in a suit of armour." His eyes flickered to Anna before returning to Stark. "Take that off, and what are you?"

Stark smirked, unconcerned with the soldier's insult. "Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist." His smile challenged the captain to another round of aspersions.

Anna closed her eyes in exasperation, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage," confirmed Steve, a second later. "The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play; to lay down on the wire and let the other guy crawl over you-"

Stark rolled his eyes. "I think I would just cut the wire," he said, his tone aloof.

"Always a way out," said Steve, staring at Stark with disgust. "You know you may not be a threat," at this, his eyes flashed back to Anna, "but you better stop pretending to be a hero."

Anna pushed herself between them, her left hand pushing on Stark's chest whilst her right shoved Steve away. Her force had little impact. "Stop it," she repeated, knowing how Steve's words would have grated at Stark's mind. "This isn't helping."

Stark grabbed Anna's hand and lowered it from his chest, giving it a light squeeze. "A hero. Like you?" he asked Steve, letting go of Anna's hand. "You're a laboratory experiment, Rogers. Everything _special_ about you came out of a bottle."

The analyst looked up at him in frustration. "Tony," she murmured. "Leave it. Stop before you say something you'll regret."

"Can't do that, sunshine."

Anna glanced to her right and stared at Steve with a similar look. "Right now, you're both acting like idiots," she declared, but neither paid her any attention. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed.

Steve's stare was resolute. "Put on the suit." He sneered at Stark. "Let's go a few rounds."

Before Stark could reply, Thor's boom of laughter broke the silence. "You people are so petty," commented the God. His gaze turned to Anna, scrutinising her size. "And tiny."

Banner spoke up next, his sarcastic words cutting. "Yeah," he mocked, eyeing Fury. "This is a team."

Stark raised his hand to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. Anna moved forward and gently tugged his arm from his face. She knew that Tony's headaches had worsened over the past few months; the impact of the suit on his body often gave him migraines, but he would sooner die than admit to it. No matter how many times she told him otherwise, Stark believed himself to be invincible. The analyst worried her lip, and glanced at Stark with a concerned look. He brandished his hand to wave away her concerns, shaking his head.

"Agent Romanoff," began Fury, "will you escort Dr. Banner back to his room-"

"Where?" cut in Banner, his lip curled in distaste. He raised his arm and indicated to the holding cell. "You rented my room."

Fury sighed. "The cell was just a precaution-"

"In case you needed to kill me," spat Banner, "but you can't. I know. I tried."

Anna's eyes widened in horror, and she instinctively took a step back toward Steve and Stark. _He tried to kill himself?_

Next to her, Stark placed his hand on her wrist, gripping it gently, pulling her closer should she need protection.

Banner folded his arms across his chest. "I got low," he explained, meeting the horrified glances with a casual disposition. "I didn't see an end, so I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spit it out." He paused, letting his words sink in. "So I moved on. I focused on helping other people. I was good until you dragged me back into this freak show, and put everyone here at risk." He turned to Widow, challenging her with his words, and reached behind him toward the sceptre. "You want to know my secret, Agent Romanoff? You want to know how I stay _calm_?"

Anna raised a hand to her mouth in distress as she heard the sounds of the others drawing their weapons.

Stark pushed the woman behind him. To her right, Steve copied Stark's actions and formed a protective barrier.

"Dr. Banner," called Steve, voice even, willing the genius to listen. "Put down the sceptre."

The doctor stared down at the spear in his hands, eyes widening in realisation. The glowing blue light stared up at him, and the man hastened to put it back in its holding position upon the desk.

Anna breathed out in relief, idly aware of Stark and Steve not moving from their positions. She touched each of their arms in silent gratitude, thankful that the situation had been averted.

Before she could speak, a shrill ringing interrupted the din.

Banner placed his glasses on his head and moved over toward the screens. Anna copied his actions. She recognised the sound - she had programmed it to toll when the tesseract had been located.

"Got it," murmured Fury, gesturing for the doctors to read the findings.

"Sorry, kids," joked Banner, but his voice was strict, "you don't get to see my party trick after all."

Anna stared at the numbers in silence, her eyes widening as she and Banner digested the data, ignoring the ongoing conversations around them. Her voice was caught in her throat. She couldn't quite get the words out. _Oh, God._

"You have located the tesseract?" questioned Thor, voice loud amongst the noise.

"I can get there faster," offered Stark, willing to make it a one-man mission.

Thor disagreed. "The tesseract belongs on Asgard. No human is a match for it."

On the opposite side of the room, Steve halted Stark's exit. "You're not going alone," he argued, grabbing the billionaire's arm.

Stark laughed. "Are you going to stop me?"

_"Put on the suit,"_ said Steve, mimicking his earlier words. "Let's find out."

"I'm not afraid to hit an old man," declared Stark.

_"Put on the suit."_

"Guys!" shouted Anna, her voice piercing across the uproar. All eyes turned to her. She swallowed. "The tesseract," she continued. "It's-"

But she didn't finish her warning.

She felt the explosion before it happened; she heard the roar of the detonation, and the heat of the fire on her skin. The floor beneath her gave way, and she clung to the monitors, her feet dangling above the newly-formed hole. Anna screamed, the fear gnawing at her insides, but suddenly a hand shot out and long fingers wrapped around her wrist. The man's brute force pulled her out of the hole and onto the laboratory floor. Gasping for breath in the smoke and haze, Anna glanced at her saviour.

The blonde God barely nodded, not needing an utterance of gratitude. He pulled her to her feet and his eyes travelled over her body. "You are harmed," he noted, staring at her arm.

"Anna!" called Stark.

Her voice was shaky, but despite the fear and pain, she called out a brief, "I'm okay!"

"Anna!" repeated Stark, recognising the tremble in her tone.

"I'm fine," she shouted, voice breaking. "Go!" She barely heard Stark and Steve leave the laboratory, her eyes gaping at the scalded flesh. The inside of her left arm was a scorched red, flesh eaten and seared by the flames. She cried out in pain as she teased her fingers over the tissue. "Oh my God," she muttered, bile rising in her throat, teardrops bleeding from her eyes. "Oh my God." She looked up, vision blurred by the tears. Thor remained before her, unwilling to touch her skin in case he inflicted more harm.

"Do not touch it," warned the God, placing his large hands on her shoulders, guiding her out of the laboratory, steering the woman along the corridor. "You need medical aid."

The two hurried down the corridor, Anna biting her lip to keep from yelling in agony. She whimpered and slapped her right hand across her mouth to quiet the screams.

She stopped as they neared the third level, the roar of what could only be the Hulk halting their movement. "Go," instructed Anna, jerking her head to the next room. "Go."

"You need medic-"

"I can get it," keened Anna. "Just_ go_."

And, with one final nod of his head, Thor left the brunette with a hurried, "Stay hidden."

The rumble of the Hulk's anger intensified, and Anna's eyes widened in fear at the sound. She hastened to get away from the noise, away from the Hulk's rage. Keeping her arm elevated, the pain tenfold as she ran, Anna screamed in distress as she barrelled into something. She looked up, her face wet with tears. "Coulson?" she gasped.

The balding agent turned to her an undisguised look of unease. He held a large gun in his arms, orange rings wrapped around the machine. "Your arm," said the Agent. "What happened?"

Anna could barely form her words. "The explosion," she rasped out. "The fire."

"Come with me," said Coulson, tearing his gaze away from her wounds. "It's not safe on this floor. Follow me." He stopped for a second. "Hold your arm out in front of you. It'll help a little."

She followed Coulson away from the corridor, listening as the speaker attached to the collar of his shirt buzzed with new information.

_"There's a fire on Level 6. Evacuate! All evacuate!"_

_"Engine 1 is down! I repeat: Engine 1 is down!" _

_"Loki's men are disguised as SHIELD agents. Proceed with caution!" _

_"Hostile has escaped holding cell. All agents to Level 4!" _

Coulson turned to Anna, his face displaying an emotion she couldn't read in her tortured state. The analyst merely listened to his next words. "Loki's escaped. We have to stop him."

_"We?"_

The Hulk's roar rang out loud and clear, and despite the pain and the light-headedness she was experiencing, Anna followed Coulson toward the fourth level.

What they discovered disturbed Anna to no end.

The God of Thunder trapped in the glass cage, his weapon slamming against the glass. Loki, the God of Lies and Mischief, mocking his brother on the other side.

Before she could stop her legs from giving way, Anna slumped to the floor. Her back was pressed up against the wall, her fire eaten flesh held out in front of her. A whimper escaped her throat.

Coulson raised his weapon, holding it firmly in his hands. He aimed it at the God of Lies.

"Move away, please."

The God backed away from the control system, raising a dark brow at the Agent.

Inside the cage, Thor watched the scene with wary eyes.

"You like this?" asked Coulson, raising the machine gun in his hands. He moved forward, slow careful strides. "We started working on the prototype after you sent the Destroyer. Even I don't know what it does." He pressed a button beneath his fingers and the weapon purred to life. "Wanna find out?"

Coulson never exacted his threat.

Anna watched as Loki appeared behind Coulson, the spear-ended point of his sceptre embedded in Coulson's chest. The God wrenched out the sceptre and the agent fell to the floor beside the analyst, fatally injured.

"NO!" cried Thor, banging on the thick panes of glass.

The God of Mischief ignored his brothers cries.

"I had hoped it would be your lady, brother," murmured Loki, stalking toward Anna with a deranged smile upon his face. As he neared her slumped form, Anna kicked out her leg in resistance. She murmured her displeasure at the man's closeness to her. "But I suppose the billionaire's only friend will be token enough." And without warning, Loki pulled Anna to her feet, his slender fingers wrapped around her burns.

_"No,"_ she hissed, eyes burning with pain and fear, for the God's touch bit at her skin with an icy feel. _"No!"_

The pain ceased, but the tears remained. Anna stared down at her arm in magnified shock; the wound had disappeared, leaving behind four dark blue lines in its wake.

_"What did you do?" _

The God ignored her question. He raised his sceptre, the bright blue blinding Anna's eyes, and held it to her heart. "And in return," murmured Loki, "I will have something of yours."

The world faded before her. The pain vanished. The fear erased.

She could only stare straight ahead at her saviour, dropping her healed arm to her side.

"Time to go," said Loki, paving the way toward the waiting jet.

Anna could only follow.

* * *

**AN: So… Ever since watching the movie, I knew this would happen. I had so much fun writing it. It's easily my favourite chapter of the entire story (so far)! **

**Chapter Eleven received 66 reviews, and I only uploaded it TWO days ago. I am in awe, you guys. I never thought this story would be so well-liked. I realise I'm not a great writer (sometimes my prose/grammar can be quite atrocious), but I do try. When this story is finished, I'll probably go back and edit/re-write it. I think the earlier chapters lack a certain 'oomph'! **

**Now that the Avengers category is here, I am no longer putting spoilers up. If you haven't seen the Avengers yet, not my fault. Read at your own peril. **

**I've also been told that people are reading my story for Anna as they don't like Captain America. That's the biggest compliment I could receive - that people are reading this story because they like a character I created. Thank you so much! **

**Anyway, now to answer a few questions: as for the chapter length, a lot of you have said "do what's better for [me]". Now that I have the script, the chapters are getting much, much longer. I just need to flesh out the scenes and dialogue and add in my own twists. What do you think so far? **

**Characters: I feel a little iffy about Steve and Loki in this chapter. Trying to get Loki's wording right was a bit of a struggle, but I think it's OK. I hope. What do you think? **

**I have a little competition going in my head at the minute (how sad). When I click my stats, my review and alert counts are usually the same. But last night I went to bed with 216 reviews and 220 alerts, and woke up with 230 reviews and 370 alerts! I would love to see some of my alerters reviewing - I would love to know what you think. Good or bad. **

**And finally, a HUGE thank you to all of my old reviewers (you know who you are), and to my new ones - HELLO! I do love getting reviews. It's lovely to know what you think. **

**Best Wishes,**

**~ Little April / Daisy**


	13. Chapter 13

**Recruited - Chapter Thirteen**

**_- One Year Previous - _**

_The sun-kissed sky of Malibu framed the Californian mansion. On the nearby beach, sun-lovers gathered and bathed; men and women snatched their boards from the white sand and raced toward the ocean. From her guest bedroom of Stark's west coast home, Anna could hear the sound of the ocean waves battling against the rocks; she could smell the salty air as it floated through the open window. _

_It was a warm July afternoon, the sun beating down on the earth with exceptional heat. _

_She hated it._

_Having grown up on the East coast for the entirety of her life, the twenty-six-year-old was not a fan of the warmth. She preferred her New York Winters, wrapped up in layer after layer of wool and thread. She preferred the twinkling lights of the Rockefeller Center and its festive displays. She preferred the hustle and bustle of a typical Manhattan avenue; the crowds; the atmosphere. New York City was home._

_And Malibu was hell. _

_"What's with the scowl?" asked Stark as Anna entered the work station. He eyed her attire with a quirk of his brow. "You don't like the heat?"_

_"Hate it," she replied, running a finger over one of the glass displays, tugging at the material of her summer dress. It was light blue with a white and sunshine yellow floral pattern. "You're working on a new suit?" _

_"Another prototype. Once JARVIS finishes his chores, it should be ready to test." _

_Anna nodded, smiling at the way the genius treated his invention as his offspring. "You know," she said, turning around to face her boss, "you still haven't told me why you dragged me out here. It was a thirty-six-hour car ride." _

_Stark raised a brow. "I offered you the jet."_

_"You know I hate flying."_

_"I also offered you a sleeping pill," reminded Stark, rearranging his work station. "JARVIS, once you've finished with that," Stark hoisted a new face plate in the air, "attach the helmet to the armour. I have to give Dr. Wellington here some info on Project Thirteen."_

"Of course, Sir."

_"'Project Thirteen'?"_

_Stark remained silent, gesturing for the female to follow him through to the lounge. It was a room void of all personal touch. Two cream sofas lined the walls, a digital glass coffee table positioned between them. The walls to the right were made entirely of glass, the views of the Pacific ocean beautiful and untouched. The billionaire gestured for Anna to take a seat before disappearing. He returned less than three minutes later holding two glass flutes in one hand, the other holding an expensive bottle of champagne by its neck. _

_"Does Miss Potts know you're drinking again?" _

_He waved her question away._

_"After 9/11," began Stark, offering the analyst a glass, filling it with the bubbly liquid. "I did some major modifications to the New York building and its infrastructure. I changed the layout. I changed the authorisation codes. With the war on terrorism, Stark Industries made its twenty-first century billions." _

_"I know," said Anna, taking a slow sip of the alcohol. "You sent me the data."_

_"Mm," hummed Stark. "And now there's something else I want to give you. Don't say 'no' until I explain, OK?"_

_The analyst stayed silent, contemplating her employer's next words. _

_Stark cleared his throat. "I'm giving you the codes to Stark Ind.'s lower floors. It says Research and Development on the label, but below the building is the mainframe to the state's energy and power grids. I'm playing this pretty close to the chest. From there, we have access to, and can remotely control, everything. Gas, water, electricity," he tapped the arc reactor, a slight 'ping' echoing around the mansion's living quarters. "Only you, Pepper, JARVIS, Rhodes, and myself know about this. And the government," he added as an afterthought. _

_"Why are you telling me this? Aren't you afraid I'll go tell someone?"_

_"I trust you, Anna. And I know if we ever get in a problem, you'll be able to put it right." _

_"But what if-"_

_"Are you going to tell anyone?" asked Stark, halting her following words, waiting for her answer. _

_She shook her head, copper waves bouncing with the movement. "Of course not."_

_Stark smirked. "Good. Then we don't have a problem. More champagne?"_

* * *

New York City was a monstrous place wrought with crime, violence, and death. Its streets were filled with lying politicians, gluttonous stock-brokers, and self-obsessed businessmen and women. On the corners of avenues, the homeless begged passersby for spare change, clothing, and food. Upon receiving no gift-aid, the vagabonds would curse and shout obscenities. Children were herded around the city in daisy yellow vehicles, trapped inside a failing learning environment. The ground rattled from the rumble of the underground subway cars. The building site of the fallen towers stilled. Pollution filled the air.

New York City was repulsive.

Pushing through the crowds, Anna made her way around Midtown. The Stark Industries tower loomed ahead, and she eyed the building with distaste.

As she passed the citizens of the city, Anna eyed a mother reprimanding her son with a resounding slap across his left leg. She watched as the men in suits regarded one another with silent envy and malice. She noted the homeless man starving to death on the sidewalk, a chocolate labrador dog sitting beside him; the dog's ribcage prominent beneath its matted coat.

How could anyone want to save this city? It was dying.

The woman paused outside of the west facing entrance to Stark Industries. She ignored the doorman's surprised greeting - "Dr. Wellington, you're back! How was your trip?" - and pushed her way inside, furtively glancing around the lobby. More men in business suits, women dressed in pencil skirts teetering around the floor in their heels.

"Anna," came a voice from behind her.

The analyst turned.

"Oh, wow," said Kimberly Poll, eyes widening as she looked over the woman's appearance. "You look different. Are you wearing contacts?"

Anna ignored her question. "I'm going to be very busy for the rest of the day. Orders from Stark. I need the R and D floors to myself. See to it."

"OK," agreed Poll, knowing not to argue when an order came from Stark himself. "Are you sure everything's OK? You look a little out of it-"

The brunette strode away from the blonde, turning a blind eye to the questioning glances and comments she received upon returning to the offices. She reached the elevator leading to the underground level, pressing the single silver button. She closed her eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, letting the retinal scan read her identification. _"Welcome, Dr. Wellington,"_ came JARVIS' voice once she stepped inside the elevator.

Pulling out the smartphone, Anna jammed the USB ports into the level pad on the inside of the door. She quickly tapped out her codes into the device, over riding and disarming JARVIS' ruling over the underground levels. "Goodbye, JARVIS," she murmured, voice lifeless.

* * *

The air in the helicarrier was stale. Having met with Fury and his team, the two remaining Avengers escaped the clutches of SHIELD's main level. The soldier and the technological giant relocated to the lower level. They kept their distance from one another, their newly formed alliance shattered into pieces upon learning of Anna's disappearance.

_"Agent Coulson is down." _

_Static. _

_"A medical team is on its way to your location."_

_"They're here. They called it." A thirty second pause. "And Dr. Wellington is gone." In less than a minute, Stark had made his way to the navigation centre of the helicarrier, his suit scratched and ruined, staring at Fury with undisguised loathing._

_"What do you mean she's gone?" snapped Stark, eyes blazing with anger. "Where?" Steve was not far behind, running into the room seconds later. "Where the hell is she?" _

_Fury uttered one word. "Loki." The director gestured to the screens behind him, replaying the footage of Loki's escape. "Before he died, Coulson told us that the God took her. We don't know where."_

_"No," said Stark, unwilling to believe it, his eyes watching the recording with doubt. "No. Anna wouldn't go without a fight. That's not her."_

_"He used the sceptre. She was injured."_

_Stark swore, a stream of curses leaving his lips. And suddenly his arm shot out and embedded itself in a nearby monitor; glass shattering around his armoured fist. _

_Steve strode forward, unflinching at the glass that coated the ground. "Well, where is she? Why aren't you tracing her whereabouts?"_

_Fury paused. "The likelihood of Dr. Wellington's survival is minim-"_

_"So you're just going to write her off?" roared Stark. "After you brought her here against her will?" _

_The director nodded his head. "I am sorry for your loss, Stark. But Dr. Wellington is not our priority right now. Loki is."_

_"But Loki has her," argued Steve, his face set in anger at the director's words. "We can't just leave her behind."_

_"Like I said," repeated Fury. "Dr. Wellington is not our priority." _

_Stark's lip curled, and his eyes blazed with rage. He stormed from the level, shedding the damaged suit as he left. _

Another moment of silence passed between the two men. "Was he married?" asked Steve, folding his arms across his chest as he leant against the wall, staring down at the floor.

"No," said Stark, scrambling to make sense of his thoughts. "There was a, uh, cellist, I think."

A pause.

"He seemed like a good man," voiced Steve, trying to broach the sensitive subject of the analyst's disappearance. He cleared his throat. "And Dr. Wellington?"

Stark's eyes flashed. "No one." He appeared to struggle with his next words. "She's a military brat. It's why she's so self-assured. Her father died when she was seven. Her mother when Anna was twenty-three. She has a half-brother, but he lives in Chicago. He's a lawyer. They exchange niceties at Christmas." The billionaire looked up to catch Steve's frown. "What?"

The soldier shook his head. "I just thought she'd have someone."

"Anna is a one-woman party. She works too much and too hard," explained the genius.

The subject of Anna's kidnapping was too fresh, too potent. The realisation that she could be dead or tortured made Stark's blood boil. He clenched his fists, muscles rippling. The machinery and computer systems aboard the helicarrier were trashed, leaving no trace of the God of Lies and his hostage.

"Coulson was an idiot," spat Stark, venting his frustration out on the agent's recent death.

"Why? For believing?"

Stark shook his head. "For taking on Loki alone-"

"He was doing his job."

The genius scoffed. "He was out of his league, and he allowed Anna to be taken. How was that part of his job description? He should've waited. He should've-"

"Sometimes there isn't a way out," murmured Steve, seemingly lost in his memories.

"Right."

"Is this the first time you lost a soldier?" asked Steve, thinking back to the late agent.

Stark stormed past him, his face set in anger. "We are _not _soldiers." A haunted look was trapped in his eyes. "_Anna_ is _not _a _soldier._" He swore vehemently. "She is not a hero. She's a human tangled up in SHIELD's schemes, and, thanks to them, she's been taken and no seems to give a damn. SHIELD lost one of their own today." He swallowed. "So did we."

Steve bowed his head.

"I'm not marching to Fury's fife," declared Stark.

"Neither am I," agreed Steve, shaking his head. "He's got the same blood on his hands that Loki does. But right now we've got to put that behind us if we want to find her and get _this _done. Now," said Steve, "Loki needs a power source. We can put together a list of-"

"He made it personal," cut in Stark, staring down at the smattering of dried blood smeared across the steel wall.

"That's not the point-"

"That is the point! That's _Loki's_ point. He took Barton. He took Anna. He hit us all right where we live." He strode forward, lost in his thoughts. "Why?"

"To tear us apart," answered Steve.

"Yeah, divide and conquer is great, but," realised Stark, tapping his finger against his thumb, "he knows he has to take us out to win, right? That's what he _wants._" He let his words sink in. "He wants to beat us. He wants to be seen doing it." Stark paused. "He wants an audience."

"Right," said Steve, "I caught his act in Stuttgart."

Stark voiced his agreement. "That's just the previews. _This,_" he said, "_this_ is opening night. And Loki? He's a full-tailed diva. He wants flowers. He wants parades. He wants a monument built in the skies with his name plastered on it-" Stark broke off, his thoughts coming to a standstill as he realised why the God had taken the doctor. "Son of a bitch."

Steve raised his brows, staring expectantly at the genius.

"I know what he needs Anna for," he said, marching out of the level and along the corridor.

"You do? What is it?"

Stark turned to face the captain with a dark stare. "He's going to make her tear the city apart."

* * *

The lower level of Stark Tower was painted an inky grey. Digital glass displays the size of cinema screens lined the walls, and the modems purred with life. Each monitor presented an eight-character passcode. Anna's fingers moved swiftly over the keys, erasing the built-in security.

And then she heard it. The start of the war.

Minutes passed.

As she typed in the codes, numerous grey boxes with the title 9-1-1 flashed across the screen. Staring at the glass in silent contemplation, the analyst pointed a finger at one of the pop-ups, touching it with the pad of her thumb. She paused before answering the call, her voice robotic as she spoke into the headset. _"911. What's your emergency?"_

_"Please!" _cried the woman's panicked voice. _"Please help us! We're trapped in our school. St. Peter's Elementary School on 75th Street. Our students are injured. Part of the building has collapsed! Something crashed into it! We need help. Please-"_

Anna ended the call. Her fingers moved fluidly across the keyboards, and she watched with cold satisfaction as the connection lines leading to Manhattan's public safety answering points were cut.

One system down.

_Thirty-six more to go._

* * *

**AN: A filler chapter. I know, I know. I apologise, but I had to get this up. I realise there was hardly any interaction in this chapter, but the way I see it, Anna won't remember half of the things Loki has made/will make her do until she's herself. I'm learning to pace the story a bit better now (as it will definitely extend after the end of the Avengers movie toward Iron Man 3 / Captain America 2). **

**And we hit an all time high for reviews! 87 reviews for Chapter 12 in less than twenty-four-hours. You guys are _amazing!_ I've tried to PM everyone back in response (except for the non-account reviewers) - thank you. All your kind words are lovely to read :) **

**The next chapter, Chapter 14, is almost done. It's reached 4000 words at the minute (another long chapter for you all!), and I'll hopefully have it up by Friday/Saturday.**

**So... Review! Please let me know what you think, what you think might happen in the later chapters - I'd love to go! Again, if you want to chat, you can find me on Twitter (at)daisylovestea ! **

**Please Review! **

**~LittleApril**


	14. Chapter 14

**Recruited - Chapter Fourteen **

Steve Rogers believed himself to be a patriotic man. He fought for his country; he sacrificed all that he had to save his home-state and its people. And now, trapped aboard the helicarrier with no place to go other than into the firing line, Steve struggled to remember what he was fighting for. The world had changed. With his sacrifice, the world spun on. Wars waged. Death mounted. Was this what he and the rest of his comrades had fought for?

Staring down at the flooring, the soldier let out a breath of hot air and steeled himself. Stark had escaped the clutches of the main base and taken stance in the now ruined laboratory, fixing his abraded armour, leaving the soldier alone. Steve had mapped the layout of the helicarrier to memory, knowing that the below-level medical wards would be occupied with the wounded agents and engineers. After her encounter with Dr. Banner's other self, Widow would surely be seeking aid.

And with his heavy footfalls, Steve exited the level and made his way to the medical bay.

He walked along the corridor, steel blue eyes peering in through the rectangular glass windows, stopping only when he caught sight of the illustrious SHIELD spy.

Pressing the silver button, the door to the engaged medic ward opened. The grey steel frame moved to the side, and Steve nodded his head at the red-headed woman. "Time to go," he said.

Black Widow inclined her head. "Go where?" she asked, voice impassive as she stared at the soldier.

"I'll tell you on the way," said Steve, well aware of the digital eyes and ears built into the infrastructure of SHIELD's airbase. "Can you fly one of those jets?"

The door to the adjoining bathroom opened, and a familiar face stepped out; the soldier recognised him as Clint Barton, the agent exploited by Loki's mind tricks. The man held a used towel in his hands, his triceps visible in his sleeveless attire. His face was set, his lips forming a hard line. He nodded in greeting to the Captain. "I can," he said.

Steve's eyes flickered from the archer to the female spy, watching as Widow dipped her head in silent confirmation.

_He's OK, _read Widow's expression.

Steve turned back to the other male. "You got a suit?"

The man nodded.

"Then suit up," ordered Steve, returning to his Captain mindset, exiting the medic ward.

* * *

"Who's left?" asked Stark, not bothering to look up as the soldier entered the still trashed aviation level. Broken glass littered the floor; yellow and orange sparks emitted from the still live electrical equipment. The signature red and gold Iron Suit was wrapped around Stark's body, the face plate flipped open.

"Black Widow and Hawkeye," said Steve, trying to get his tongue around the code names of the two SHIELD recruits.

Stark's brows rose. "Barton's no longer Loki's lapdog?"

"Doesn't seem to be," answered Steve. "From what I gathered from the ruined security footage, Loki dropped Thor and the cage out of the sky. There's no telling where he is."

"And the Hul-". Stark paused. "And Dr. Banner?" he amended.

Steve shook his head. "He fell from the ship."

"What are we?" asked Stark, rolling his eyes. "The new Fantastic Four?" At Steve's blank expression, Stark sighed. "Pop culture reference, Captain. You know, you should really-" he broke off, tilting his head to the side in greeting as SHIELD's two assassins stalked forward. "Barton," acknowledged Stark, eyeing the archer with a decisive look. "Good to see you're back to your less-cold self."

Hawkeye merely stared at the billionaire. "Stark."

The soldier folded his arms across his broad chest. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you get past Loki's mind control?"

Black Widow stepped forward, fixing the SHIELD enhanced athletic black tape around her hands. "A little cognitive recalibration."

"Cognitive recalibration?" repeated Steve, frowning, unsure of the implications. "What does that mean?"

"It means," said Stark, flipping the head plate of his suit down over his face, his voice blaring out of the built-in microphone and speakers as he prepared to take flight. "Anna's going to wake up with one hell of a headache."

And the Iron Man shot upwards into the air and out of SHIELD's airbase toward Manhattan.

With his face set in determination, the Captain turned back to Hawkeye and Widow. "Let's go."

Steve marched the three down the corridor, past the SHIELD agents hurrying to fix the damage done to the mainframe. He led them to the hanger, his shield attached to his arm, stalking forward towards an almost vacant jet. The soldier climbed aboard, gaining the attention of the young SHIELD engineer crouched by the controls.

"Hey," said the engineer, "you guys aren't authorised to be in here-"

"_Son_," reproved Steve, shaking his head, leaving no time for the agent to respond. "_Just don't._"

And with an intimidated stare, the engineer scurried off the plane, unease creeping into his mind at the thought of being stared down by two of the world's deadliest assassins, and the first Avenger.

"OK," said Steve, strapping himself into one of the seats, the image of Iron Man now a mere red and yellow dot in the clear blue sky. "Manhattan is our point of call. From what Stark said, Loki will be hell bent on destroying the city. If he's on schedule, Loki will have his army. He has Anna controlling the city."

"How so?" asked Barton, turning to face the soldier.

"Wellington can start a fire sale," murmured Widow, flicking the controls on.

Barton's face remained impassive, but his voice sounded disgruntled with the new information. "You're telling me Loki plans on having the doc wipe out all of Manhattan's safety measures?"

"Pretty much," said Steve.

Barton nodded, taking control of the jet. "Let's go."

* * *

Calm. Quiet. The streets of Manhattan breathed with new life. New Yorkers ambled up and down the avenues, slipping inside coffee shops and office buildings. Times Square thrummed with its glittering atmosphere. Wall Street buzzed with excited chatter. Central Park flourished in pinks, blues, and greens. From his approach in the blue, Stark surveyed the sights with mild admiration. The spot in the distance, the absence of the two American landmarks, reminded the city of its former destruction. But New York survived.

If Loki and his army conquered the American dream and all that it held within its ideology, would it live on?

"_Sir_," said JARVIS, his voice resounding in the speakers of the Iron Suit. "_I've turned off the Arc Reactor. The device is already self-sustaining. Dr. Wellington has collapsed twelve of the thirty-seven systems._"

"And how long till she collapses them all?"

_"Fifty-five minutes, Sir. The safety measures are all in place. Dr. Wellington is currently attacking each in turn."_

Stark ignored him, hovering above the roof of Stark Towers, looking down at the figure of the mind-bended scientist. "Shut it down, Dr. Selvig," he ordered.

The grey-haired astrophysicist stared up at the superhero with wonderment. "It's too late!" shouted the doctor. "She can't stop now. She wants to show us something! A new universe."

"OK," said Stark, not one for polite conversation; he held out his hand, revving the turbo-blasts. Two bursts of flames shot from the palms of the suit, hitting the glowing blue sphere with vigour. The hits rocketed off of the tesseract, returning back to Stark. The bursts of energy slammed into him, sending him flying back into the air. He struggled to control his height and velocity.

_"The barrier is pure energy,"_ came JARVIS's voice._ "It's unbreachable."_

Stark stared down at the landing strip adjoined to the top level of the building, eyeing the form of the raven-haired God standing upon it. "Yeah, got that," commented Stark. "Time for Plan B."

_"Plan B, sir?"_

"Distract Loki. Save Anna."

_"Sir, the Mark VII is not ready for deployment-"_

Stark refrained from rolling his eyes at the AI. "Then skip the spinning rims, we're on the clock," he instructed.

The genius lowered himself down to the landing plate, keeping his eyes set on the God. As Stark shed his armour, the hero and villain kept eye-contact.

Once inside, the God of Lies sneered at the billionaire. "Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity," he mocked, raising his sceptre to gesture to his newly found power.

Stark shook his head, making his way to the bar area of the floor. "Uh, actually, I'm planning to threaten you," he said, keeping his voice light despite his initial hesitation.

Loki smiled, a dark smirk pulling at his lips. "You should have left your armour on for that."

"Yeah," agreed Stark, "it's seen a bit of mileage. And you've got the, uh, little stick of destiny." He paused and turned back to face the man. "Would you like a drink?"

Loki laughed. "Stalling me won't change anything. It won't bring your friend back. Remarkable girl that she is."

"No, no. Threatening," reminded the genius, trying hard to keep his composure, his posture stiffening at the mention of his analyst. "No drink? You're sure? I'm having one."

The god turned away, evidently displeased at Stark's countenance. "The Chitauri are coming," promised Loki. "Your friend is no longer an ally. Nothing will change that." He turned, smiling. "What have I to fear?"

Stark emptied the bottle of bourbon into his glass. He looked up, catching the god's gaze. "The Avengers," he answered. He smiled, exaggerating his modest expression. "It's what we call ourselves. Sort of like a team. Earth's mightiest heroes type thing."

Loki smirked, evidently confident in his army's ability. "I've met them."

"Yeah," laughed Stark, his expression uncomfortable. "It takes us a while to get any traction, though, I'll give you that one. But let's do a headcount here: your brother, the demigod," as Stark continued his speech, the god turned away. Stark reached across the counter and secured the digital metal cuffs to his wrists. "A super-soldier, living legend, who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breath-taking anger management issues," at this, the god smiled, "a couple of master assassins. And you, big fella. You have managed to piss off every single one of them."

"That was the plan."

"Not a great plan," insulted Stark. "And taking my star employee? What did I mention about taking my stuff?"

"You refer to the girl as mere property? I have given her knowledge and purpose; all that she lacked in her dull existence. She will thank me. And in her gratitude, she, along with the rest, shall kneel before me."

"No," confronted Stark, anger pulsing through him, "she won't. And you just don't get it, do you? When they come, and they will," he assured. "They'll come for you."

_"I have an army."_

Stark stared back at the God, defiant. "We have a Hulk."

Loki raised his brows, gesturing the city beyond Stark Towers. "I thought the beast had wandered off."

A dark stare crawled its way onto Stark's face. "You're missing the point. There is_ no _throne. There is _no_ version of this where you come out on top. _Maybe_ your army comes, and _maybe_ it's too much for us, but it's all on _you_. Because if we can't protect the earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it." He finished his speech with a slow sip of his drink, watching the god's actions with cautious eyes.

Loki strode forward, malice set in his face. "How will your friends have time for me?" he asked, moving closer with every word. "When they're so busy fighting you?" And with the curling of his lips, Loki raised the sceptre, forcing it against Stark's chest. The sceptre glowed, its power force thrumming from its centre, grazing the thread of Stark's clothing. The material of the sceptre met Stark's chest with a light clink.

Nothing happened.

A frown formed on the god's face. He repeated his action, staring at the billionaire with mild confusion. "This usually works," he murmured.

Stark fought back a small bout of laughter. He half-smirked. "Well, performance issues," he began, "they're not that uncommon. One out of five, actually-".

The words died on his lips.

Loki gripped the man's chin with great force, throwing the human to the ground. Stark slumped against the floor, his breathing ragged. He stared across the room at the _Mark VII _cabinet.

"JARVIS," rasped Stark, pushing himself onto his knees. "Any time now."

But the God of Mischief was not finished. His hand flew under the man's chin, fingertips embedding into Stark's flesh. He hoisted the man from the ground, edging toward the glass walls. "You will fall before me," hissed Loki, his stare unhinged, baring his teeth like a rabid animal.

Stark did not heed the god's warning. "Deploy!" he commanded, keeping his gaze transfixed on the cabinet. He gasped in pain as Loki's grip intensified. "DEPLOY!"

The next thing Stark knew, he was falling out of the sky, heading toward the ground with such speed he thought he was going to vomit. He raised his hands in front of him, the metal cuffs facing the cloudless sky, and braced himself for impact; his skin scratched and torn from the shattered glass.

Stark heard the suit before he saw it, the Mark VII hurtling out of Stark Towers, shards of glass floating to the earth. With the scanners reading his location, the metal cuffs burnt his skin as the suit moulded itself around his falling body. He sighed in relief as the armour encased him, protecting him from what would have been certain death. As he neared the streets of Manhattan, the billionaire started the turbo-boosters, rocketing back towards the now-ruined level of Stark Towers.

He hovered by the broken glass windows, facing his palm out toward the enemy. "And there's one other person you pissed off," spat Stark, "his name is Phil." And before Loki could attack, a blast shot from the suit and embedded itself in Loki's chest, sending the God to the floor.

But it was too late. Blue beams of light soared from the tesseract, a blue and brilliant white portal manifesting in the sky. Stark looked back at the building, his gaze travelling down the floors till it reached the sidewalk, his mind seeing the layout of the below-ground floors, envisioning Anna trapped beneath the towers, her mind compromised.

Stark turned back to face the sky. "Right," he muttered, switching the interface of the suit; blue turned to red. "Army."

And, having made up his mind, the technological giant shot up towards the portal, sending blasts of fire and blaze toward the incoming other-worldly threats.

* * *

As the jet neared the sights of Manhattan, Steve watched as Widow and Hawkeye controlled the plane.

The redhead handed each of them a small earpiece. Steve listened as the woman explained how it would work. "We'll be able to contact one another through these," she said, her explanation brief. She turned back to the front of the plane, watching as Hawkeye dipped the jet toward the Stark Industries tower. "Stark," uttered the female, knowing that the billionaire would be able to pick up their signal, "we're heading North-East."

Stark's voice carried through the speakers of the jet. "What?" he asked. "Did you stop for drive-thru?" He paused. "Swing up Park. I'm going to lay them out for you."

Hawkeye obeyed Stark's command, punching a black button by the controls, driving the jet between the skyscrapers.

Steve raised his brows. "What is it?" he asked.

Hawkeye didn't answer. He just punched the button again, bullets and blaze firing from what could only be a turbo weapon attached to the plane. The hits rocketed against soldiers of Loki's army, sending them to the ground.

"Nevermind," commended Steve, hanging onto the frame as the jet swerved, heading toward Stark Tower.

From their place in the sky, the three watched as the two Gods fought atop the landing strip of the building. "Nat?" asked Hawkeye, steering the plane toward them.

"I see them," said Widow, flicking another of the controls.

But before they could solidify their attack, Loki raised his sceptre and sent a stream of blue light at the plane, destroying their engine.

The jet shook with the force of the attack. Steve braced himself for impact as the plane lost its elevation, skimming the buildings, crashing to the ground.

Widow and Hawkeye unbuckled themselves from the pilot seats, ripping the headgear from their bodies. Steve led the way out of the jet, boot-clad feet barely touching the ground as he hurried to the square, his shield held steady in his arms.

"We've gotta get back up there," he ordered, looking at Stark Towers. "Dr. Wellington will be in there."

"How're we going to get past Stark's security?" asked Hawkeye, readying his weapon. His keen eyes surveying the damage.

"Don't worry about it," crackled Stark's voice through the headsets. "JARVIS will grant you access. You might need a little something to help you get past the last door, though."

"Alright," heeded Steve. He turned to Widow, nodding his head, leaving Hawkeye to position himself against the army. The two hurried into the now evacuated building, their footsteps echoing around the luxorious lobby; marble flooring paired with the latest technology; glass television screens streaming information related to Stark Industries' latest projects.

"_Captain Rogers,_" came the voice of JARVIS, ordering the intruders to pause. _"The elevator door to your left. I have already overridden Dr. Wellington's entry codes and granted you access to the lower levels."_

Steve stared around the building, looking for the source of the voice. "Where are you?"

"His name is JARVIS," murmured Widow, hurrying to the elevator, Steve beside her. "He's one of Stark's inventions. He runs the building."

"A computer?" asked Steve.

"Of sorts," responded Widow, sighing as the elevator doors closed. The lights flickered on and off, and JARVIS' voice broke the lull.

_"Dr. Wellington is located beyond the second door. Her vital signs read positive." _

The elevator descended. Steve glanced around the small compartment, looking for sign of how far down they were dropping. How far underground could the building go? A minute later, the doors to the elevator opened and the two stepped out. A heavy steel door greeted them.

"A little help, Captain?" asked Widow, gesturing to the door, her black pistol held tightly in her hands.

Steve stepped forward and, with his strength, pushed the doors apart, the automatic mechanics clicking into place. The two doors eased apart, leaving a two-foot threshold for the two to cross. Turning back to Widow, Steve nodded his head and moved into the room first, his gaze travelling all around the room before it landed on the figure hunched over by the desk, brown hair matted with blood.

Her fingers moved fluidly across the keyboards and displays, her movement effortless.

"Dr. Wellington," ordered Steve, slowly moving closer to the woman. "You don't have to do this."

Anna tilted her head to the side, surveying the two Avengers with glassy blue eyes. "Yes, I do. New York City has to fall." A rehearsed countenance.

Black Widow glanced to her right, signalling to the Captain. "It's no use," she said, knowing that words would not help. "Allow me."

The redhead stalked forward, eyes focused on the compromised woman. The analyst readied herself, outstretching her fist to connect with the spy's jaw, her fingers tugging at the red locks of hair with anger. The girls fought, Widow mildly surprised at the fight trapped inside the analyst. She imagined that it had everything to do with Loki's mind control. Widow thought that, if tempted, Wellington would fight to the death. But, knowing what it was like to have your mind toyed with, the assassin was eager to end the brawl.

And with one final blow to the head, the brunette fell to the floor unconscious.

"What?" asked Widow, a second later, her breathing somewhat ragged. She eyed the Captain with a raised brow; his eyes transfixed on the slumped form of the analyst. "Never seen a girl-fight before?"

He swallowed. "Did you-"

"I didn't do any permanent damage," answered the redhead, striding towards the fallen woman, judging the analyst's position. "Like Stark said, she'll have a headache. Maybe a slight concussion."

"A concussion?" repeated Steve, alarmed.

Utilising his enhanced strength, Steve stepped forward and crouched down beside the unconscious woman. He slid his hands under her form, her head lolling against his chest. Steve stood up, Anna's light form near weightless in his arms. He looked around the room, trying to find a suitable resting position for the woman. The soldier strode toward a small row of plastic chairs, settling Anna down onto them. He took a step back, blue eyes searching for injury. The skin by her jaw had started to colour, a dark purple bruise forming.

"Whenever you're ready, Cap," said Widow, her expression bored with the display.

Steve nodded. "Let's go," he agreed, collecting his shield. And with one last glance toward the analyst, Steve led Black Widow out of the building and back into the firing line.

* * *

The roar of the the ongoing battle stirred Anna from her injury-induced sleep. The woman opened her eyes, recognising the dull colours of Stark Industries government centre. She lifted her head, her sight blurry, and jumped in fright as a loud thunder-like rumble sounded above the floors. Instinctively, Anna raised a shaking hand to the back of her neck. She pulled it away only to find her fingers were now stained with dried blood. Her brows furrowed, confusion seeping into her mind. _What?_

But it was not the blood that alarmed her - it was the three midnight blue lines running down her left forearm.

Anna's eyes widened and she struggled to process her thoughts. The last thing she remembered was dropping to the ground on SHIELD's flight-ship, the God of Lies stalking toward her.

_Loki._

But how did she get from the carrier to Manhattan? Why was she tucked away in Stark Industries' hidden floors? Who had placed her upon the seats? Tony?

Her head swam with dozens of thoughts and possibilities, but one thought stuck out in her mind.

_What the hell is in my arm?_

"JARVIS?" called Anna, concerned when she heard no response from the AI. She gazed around the room, her eyes catching sight of the phone jacked into the computer system on the opposite end of the floor. Stalking forward, her hand cupping her neck to help alleviate the pain, Anna's eyes widened in horror._ A fire sale._ Had she done this? She ejected the phone, the systems crashing before her on the monitor. She hurried over to the adjacent wall, uncovering a second silver plaque with a number of digital ports hidden behind it. She hastily inserted the phone into the slots, tapping away furiously on the keys. _Please work._

"JARVIS?" repeated Anna.

_"Welcome back, Miss Wellington,"_ came the AI's voice, his tone neutral. _"You have had quite a day."_

"JARVIS, we need to reset the systems-"

_"Might I suggest that you take a moment to recover?"_

She ignored his suggestion. "Where's Tony?"

_"He is currently engaged in battle. Shall I alert him to your status?"_

"Engaged in battle where?" asked Anna, ignoring the AI's question, knowing that JARVIS would do so without her permission.

_"Manhattan, Miss. He and the rest of the Avengers are fighting against Loki's army."_

Anna swallowed, feeling the bile crawl up her throat at the mention of the God. Her head felt heavy and she fought back a wave of sickness. The analyst rubbed at her eyes, aware of the ruined make up now coating her fingertips, the mascara crumbling from her lashes.

Loki was taking over Manhattan. Her home.

He had played with her thoughts and self-control. Her mind flashed with memories of his ruling.

_The school. The teacher. The children's screams._ "Oh, God," moaned Anna, biting her fist hard enough to draw blood. And the woman crumpled to the floor, hot tears pooling from her eyes, her gaze transfixed on the blue lines etched into her skin, but her mind was far away, imagining the destruction she must have caused.

* * *

**AN: OK… Let me just state that I absolutely _hate_ this chapter. I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate it. **

**I thought this chapter would cover the entire battle, but that would make it around 12,000 words and I honestly do not want to keep writing the battle because it's not… mine. Does that make sense? I imagine you've all seen Avengers now, so repeating everything in the film is quite silly. I prefer writing my own material, and writing Anna into these scenes was hard because I just didn't want to do it, but it had to be done. **

**(I know a few of you have said that you don't want me to follow the movie, but, guys, this is going to be canon. It's going to follow the movies.)**

******Also... A few people have been tweeting me/PMing me and demanding that I update. A couple of you have found my Facebook and have since started messaging me with demands for updating etc. Guys, that's not OK. I'm glad that you like/love the story, but if you demand an update, it honestly makes me not want to write. And finding me on FB is a little creepy. **

**********I am a school teacher, and as such have very little time in the evenings to write. I try to do as much as I can, but sometimes updates are going to be slow. I can't help that. **

**But... I must admit that I am completely overwhelmed. Recruited has over 700 alerts, 400 favourites, 400 reviews, and over 60,000 hits. The last chapter reached 100 reviews_. Thank you._**

**Soooooooo... Let me know what you think? **

**Please Review! ~ LittleApril **


	15. Chapter 15

**Recruited - Chapter Fifteen**

The hum of the machines lulled the analyst to a state of calm. With her head in her hands, Anna expelled the breath she had been holding. She pushed herself up from the cold tile-flooring, and gazed around the room, her sight blurred by the unshed tears. Not knowing what to do now, for she had shut down the attacks on the computer systems, the twenty-seven-year-old tried to control her breathing. She felt very small, as though the walls were caving in on her. _A panic attack,_ she realised.

_"Miss Wellington," _began JARVIS, his programmed utterances echoing around the floor. _"Your vital signs are wavering. A medic kit is located to your right."_

"JARVIS?" whispered Anna, still coming to terms with what she had done.

_"To your right, Miss Wellington," _repeated the AI. _"Master Stark ensured that an inhaler would be stocked inside every medic kit administrated by Stark Industries." _

Anna glanced to her right. The first-aid box was tacked to the wall above the lobster-red fire extinguisher. Holding a hand to her rising and falling chest, Anna hurried toward the first aid kit. She ripped it from the wall and broke the seal, lifting the cover to peer inside at the medical supplies. She threw the band-aids and bandages to the side, rummaging through the box till she found what she was looking for: the inhaler was small and sea green, fitted with a prescription drug that read:_ Anna J. Wellington. _

She held the medicine to her mouth, her lips moulding around the mouth-piece. The woman pumped the inhaler twice, sucking in the air as though her life depended upon it. Anna closed her eyes and finally exhaled.

"Remind me to thank Tony," murmured Anna, dropping the device back inside the first-aid supply box. Quiet. Her brows furrowed. "JARVIS?"

When she received no reply, the female frowned. The artificial intelligence was programmed to respond to all enquiries, unless he was channelling between Malibu and New York City, the go-between for Stark and Anna.

"JARVIS?" she repeated.

Minutes passed.

"JARVIS, what's going on?"

_"One moment, Miss Wellington." _

Anna glared at the speakers built into the grey-coloured walls, the pain in her head increasing with each passing second. She felt the back of her neck and was thankful to find that the bleeding had stopped. She felt unsteady on her feet, but worry had crept into her being. "JARVIS, I'm getting impatient. What is going on?"

She could sense the AI's hesitance, a remarkable feat of Stark's intelligence and creativity.

"JARV-"

_"Annie?"_

The woman blinked in surprise, relief flooding through her. "Tony? Thank God, you're all right. Where are you? What's going on?"

Stark's voice interrupted her questions. _"How are you feeling? Back to your usual self?"_

"I'm OK," confirmed Anna. "But what is going on?"

_"Annie, I need you to listen to me-"_

"Tony, I-"

_"Anna,"_ said Stark, his voice hard. _"You need to listen to me. Stay safe. Below ground. JARVIS is re-installing the security. When it's over, you call Pepper. You call her, and you tell her I'm sorry."_

"What-"

Stark ignored her interruptions. _"You tell Pepper there was no other way. And tell her that she was right, OK? Right all the time." _A slight pause. _"And you take care of yourself, kiddo."_

"Tony, what-"

_"And when it's over," _Stark's voice was faint now, drifting in and out of the speakers, _"when it's safe, they'll come for you. JARVIS will let them in. And I want you to remember everything I ever told you, Annie. Everythi-"_

The call ended. The speakers crackled with static. The connection was lost.

Anna stared at the walls, seeing but not quite believing. All was lost.

* * *

She remembered her first shift at Stark Industries. A dark, blustery February Tuesday. Anna had faced the harsh New York winds and battled her way toward the Manhattan Offices. She had received her identification card and security details without delay, and had been transferred to the Research and Development floors moments after. The elevator doors had opened with a light 'chime', and the newly employed analyst had stepped out of the steel box only to be greeted by a large door plaque that read: Wellington R & D Analysis.

Her very own playground.

_"You see those catalogues on the desk?" said Stark, walking toward her. "Leaf through them. Tell me what you want. It's your floor. Pepp-, I mean Miss Potts told me I ought to let you design the place. Apple or Windows? You strike me as a Windows kind of gal." _

_"…anything I want?"_

_"Anything. Just place your order and I'll have it there for you by the end of the working day. Which will be eight, by the way. You're good working some extra hours, right? The time difference is going to be a bitch, but we'll sort it all out." Stark gave her a once-over. "You OK, kiddo? You look a little bemused."_

_"I just… Thank you."_

_Stark merely smiled. "Like I told you, you're going to love it here."_

"Dr. Wellington?"

Anna moved out from her crouched position, grey eyes staring out at the figure before her. Captain Steve Rogers moved inside the room, his customary shield attached to his back and shoulders, his face wrought with undisguised concern. Steve stepped forward, clear blue eyes assessing the analyst's form. He bypassed the mainframe of the computer systems, glancing to the right as the monitors flashed with codes and sequences.

"Steve?" questioned Anna, eyes widening at the blood and filth that coated his uniform. Her thoughts were muddled. "Are you OK?"

"Fine," answered Steve. "Are _you _OK?"

The brunette nodded her head. In truth, she wasn't okay with all that had happened but she was willing to put on a brave face. Her head throbbed with a dull ache, her eyes itched, and her body ached with fatigue and exhaustion. "I'll be all right," she muttered, replaying her friend's words over and over in her mind. "But Tony-"

"You're bleeding," interrupted Steve, raising a hand to the woman's head. "We need to get you to a doctor-"

"Tony's dead, isn't he?" murmured Anna, staring at Steve's face with a sorrowful expression.

The soldier's features set, and he slowly shook his head. "No," he told her. "He's not dead."

"But I-"

"Stark risked his life to save us. You. Me. The city. All of us." The soldier wrapped his arm around the woman's waist, helping to keep her balance. His fingers gently pushed her forward, small steps at first.

"Sounds like Tony," murmured Anna, wincing as she and Steve moved forward. Her stomach cried out in pain from what she could only discern as battle wounds. "Always doing something stupid."

"Some would say it was noble," muttered Steve, glaring ahead.

"But not you?" asked Anna, staring at up Steve with interest, relief flowing through her at Steve's story of Tony's nobility.

Steve shook his head, expression troubled. "Not today."

They reached the door, JARVIS silently allowing the two to exit. "But some day?"

"Dr. Wellington, I-"

Anna held up a hand to stop him. "It's OK, Steve," she said, wincing as she applied too much pressure on her right side. "I get it. You know," commented Anna, a teasing smile pulling at her lips despite the seriousness of the situation, "you and Tony are quite similar."

Steve said nothing, but his expression said it all. His lips were drawn tight.

The two made their way through the lower floors of the Stark Industries building, JARVIS drawing the way forward with lights and passing comments. Anna thanked Steve for his help, insisting that she could walk just fine on her own, but the soldier ignored her words. As the two neared the flight of stairs, Anna grasped the banister rail to help her movement, but she yelped in surprise as Steve lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the top of the steps. As he put her back on the ground, keeping his arm around her to help her walk, he stared at her only to be met with her glare.

"You didn't have to do that," muttered Anna, a pink hue resting on her cheeks.

"You would have never made it up the stairs," countered Steve.

"You could have at least let me try, Rogers," glowered the analyst.

Steve led the way out of the lobby, leaving Anna to stare around the street in horror and surprise. Dust settled on the sidewalks. Vast rocks of plaster and brick littered the roads. The scene was quiet save for the sound of buildings grumbling under the weight of fallen floors and shattered windows.

It happened so fast.

Steve pushed Anna to the floor, whipping his shield from off his back to protect them from the falling rock. The mass of brick and mortar hit the shield and bounced off, the sound reverberating around the area. Anna covered her mouth and coughed.

"You all right?" asked Steve, slinging the shield back onto his back, pulling the analyst up from the floor.

"Thank you," sputtered Anna.

They continued their trek away from the offices toward their apparent meeting point.

"And Steve?"

The soldier looked back at the brunette, gaze questioning. "Yeah?"

"I think you can call me 'Anna' now."

Steve merely smiled.

* * *

**AN: Apologies! I never meant for it to take this long... **

**I have a few 'notes' to tell you all, so I'll start at the beginning: first of all, thank you to all of you for the support you've given me over the plagiarism issue. The other story has now been taken down, and the author has apologised to me. **

**Secondly, the wait. This chapter was difficult to write for the following reason: I hadn't seen the film in over a month, so it was difficult to try and piece everything together. Hopefully this is OK. Ch. 15 is quite short, but Ch. 16 is much longer (and half-finished). Again with the wait, I'm currently working two jobs so I have very little time to write. I am trying, though!**

**Third, please let me know what you think! The next chapter finishes the Avengers movie and the it's all onto my own plot for the break between Avengers and IM3. All ideas are appreciated! I love knowing what you all think.**

**Which leads me to... Please Review! **

**~LittleApril**


	16. Chapter 16

**Recruited - Chapter Sixteen**

Anna followed Steve along the deserted streets. The soldier paved the way forward with caution, his stare flitting back to Anna every minute or so. His eyes would rake over her tired and broken form, drinking in the abrasions and discolourations on her skin. He, too, was exhausted. His suit was torn and shredded, his resolve hardened. Though the super-serum had enhanced his vitality, Steve felt worn. He had been waiting for battle, longing for a purpose.

He'd found it.

"It's strange," mused Anna, avoiding a large boulder of rubble. She winced as her arm grazed her bruised left side. Her face contorted into a pained expression. "I've never seen New York look so… empty."

"They don't know that it's all over." Steve glanced up at the wounded skyscrapers, blue eyes taking in the sights. New York had changed from its former glory: buildings stood in old haunts; playing fields and recreational centres had been replaced by offices and shopping malls; his home scrapped in favour of media centres.

Anna looked up at the male, following his gaze. The buildings stood strong despite the crumbling mortar. The gap in the skyline where the twin towers once stood filled her mind with rage and sorrow. Her thoughts flashed back to that fateful morning, the memories playing in her mind. She frowned. "Is it?"

Steve gave a short nod. "For now," he said. He turned back to face the brunette, concerned. "How're you holding up?"

"My arms feel like they're on fire," she muttered, trying not to focus on the pain.

He looked at her, alarmed. "What?"

She bit her lip. "Back on the helicarrier, just after the explosion, I was hurt. The blast tore back some of my flesh on my arms. Thor pulled me out of the wreckage-"

"-But you told Stark you were OK. We would have come back-"

"There was no time," Anna reminded the soldier, her voice hard. "I was still mobile, and that was all that mattered at the time. Thor helped me get away from Banner's other self, and I ran. I ran into Loki actually." Anna pulled back the sleeve of her shirt, the blue narrow waves glared up at her. "He gave me these."

Steve stared down at the three streaks of sapphire. "What are they?" he asked, not breaking his gaze. His hands reached out to her arm, cradling it gently. He turned her wrist, examining the marks with a furrowed brow. He ran the pad of his thumb across the stroke closest to his chest, and he let out a heavy breath. "Do they mean something?"

Anna shook her head, raking her hair back with her free hand. "I have no idea. He healed me and left these in place of the cuts. Why would go out of his way to he heal me?"

The Captain shook his head. "He needed you." Steve dropped her hand, letting it fall back to her side. "He needed you to do what you do best."

Screams invaded Anna's minds, and she winced. "The fire sale," she muttered, trying to ignore the recollections.

Steve nodded.

The conversation ended and the two walked in silence. Anna held her wrist to her stomach, grumbling to herself as she marched past turned over vehicles and piles of broken glass. She listened to the sound of sirens in the distance, and she walked in time next to Steve's heavy footfalls. The soldier said nothing, but his constant glances said it all. He was worried for Anna - his calm facade had been replaced by a solid frown. His fists were clenched at his sides. His posture was stiff despite his exhaustion.

Noticing his discomfort, Anna cleared her throat. Her voice was raspy, a result of the dust and stale air. "Where is everyone?"

Steve didn't bother to glance back. "Back at SHIELD's headquarters on the outskirts of the city. A medical team is waiting there." He paused, seemingly weighing something inside his head. "There's something you should know," said Steve. His frown intensified.

"What is it?" asked Anna, not knowing how the day could get any worse. And if it could, why had Steve held the information from her for so long? The two had walked for at least fifty minutes.

"Agent Coulson…"

Anna nodded her head, dread building in the pit of her stomach. "What about him?"

"He didn't make it."

Silence.

She stopped moving. Her feet were planted firmly on the ground, her mind blank. The words pierced something inside her.

"There was nothing you could've done," added Steve, his voice quiet. His eyes washed over the female, gaging her reaction. He ran a hand through his tousled hair and let out a heavy sigh.

"I know," agreed Anna, letting the words sink in. "How-"

"Loki."

She nodded her head. _Of course. _"Was it-"

"No," said Steve, already knowing her question. "It was quick. Almost painless." He stared at her in silence for a moment longer. "Are you OK?"

The analyst shook her head. "I just," she tried to explain what she was feeling, but the words would not come together. "I don't do so well with death. The idea scares me more than most."

"I'm sorry," apologised Steve. "But I thought you should know-"

"No," said Anna. "I'm thankful that you told me. You were gentle, and I appreciate that."

He nodded his head, not knowing what else to say.

Anna stared at the road ahead: abandoned vehicles loitered on the streets, the air was cool. She bent forward, clutching her side. She didn't know if she could walk any further. She was exhausted and dehydrated. Her head roared with an unforgiving headache.

She reached into the side of her boot, pulling out her phone. "How badly damaged is Tony's suit?"

Steve cocked his head to the side. "It's a little scratched." A pause. "Why?"

"I'm tired of walking," she murmured, dialling the code to connect to Stark's mainframe.

* * *

Anna rested her back against the chair, the glass of water and ice chips clutched in her hand. The feel of the glass against her skin was cooling and she relished in its ability to soothe her. Her reunion with Stark and the rest of SHIELD's operatives had been short-lived. Upon arriving at the Manhattan base, she had been transferred to a medical unit. A team of fifteen had fussed over her form, each staring at her Asgardian tattoo with interest and aversion. Her wounds had been cleaned and plastered, butterfly strips applied to the abrasions on her forehead.

A knock on the open door pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up to see Stark and Virginia Potts standing outside the doorframe.

"Thank, God. You're OK," murmured Potts, wrapping her arms around the shorter female. "I postponed the Clean Energy project hoping I could get you back, but SHIELD's contracts were tight." The redhead wiped her eyes, holding her index finger just below her lashes. "You and Tony. And Phil. What were they thinking pulling you into the fight?"

The brunette held back a smile. "It's OK," Anna reminded the older woman, her voice quiet. "I'm OK, Pepper. And thank you."

Stark had foregone his armour, wearing black denim jeans and a white-collared shirt. He half-smiled. "I heard you were being held captive." He paused for comedic effect, watching as Pepper unfolded her arms from around the analyst's body. "Again."

She held back a smile. "Something like that," she agreed, gesturing to the wires connecting her to the machinery. "What about you? I heard Banner saved your life twice in less than ten minutes. That's got to be quite intimidating."

Stark rolled his eyes. "Let's flashback to ten minutes before that when I saved all of New York City."

The teasing smile blossomed across her face. "You and the rest of Fury's team." She turned serious for a short moment. "You sacrificed everything. What were you thinking?"

He shrugged, sitting in the seat beside the bed.

Potts pursed her lips. "He wasn't," she stated, her eyes telling of her unease with the entirety of the situation.

Anna sighed, resting her head back against the pillows. "Do either of you know when I can leave?"

Stark shook his head. "They want to run some tests relating to your new body art. I have to say I'm not loving the look. Your first tattoo, and it's a pre-school design by a Norse God. Pitiful."

Anna glowered at him, though she realised she must have looked quite pathetic wired to the machines with plaster strips stuck to her forehead. "Oh, shut up," she hissed, adjusting her position.

Potts smiled.

"And you and Widow? That is a girl fight I would have_ loved _to have been invited to. I might ask JARVIS to find the footage. That would make this year's Christmas party a little more interesting-"

His words became muffled, for Anna had thrown the pillow at his head.

He laughed, holding the pillow in his hands. "What is it you want? Name it. And I promise you, I'll get it."

Anna slumped down in the bed, defeated. "My apartment," she said, nodding her head. "I just really, really want to go home."

Stark nodded his head, and he rose from the chair. "Consider it done, sunshine." And the billionaire exited the room, leaving his employee fastened to the bed by life support machines and wiring.

* * *

Central Park was bathed in sunlight. The trees shook with gentle winds, and the grounds surrounding the Bethesda Terrace had been cordoned off. SHIELD Agents patrolled the perimeter. The air was cool.

Anna wrapped the black jacket around her frame a little tighter. She tried to ignore the sounds of excited chatter from the onlooking public and the constant clicks and flashes of news reporters. She had her unruly chocolate waves tied into a tight knot at the back of her head, with few wisps framing her face. The butterfly plaster strips had been replaced by a fading white scar; the bruises on her jaw concealed with make-up.

The woman walked forward to stand beside her friend.

Stark wore his custom grey lavender suit. His sunglasses shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun, and in his hands was a steel case: the tesseract. He inclined his head toward the female in greeting, his lips moving to ask how she was doing. Since the attack on New York, he'd banned the twenty-seven-year-old from entering Stark Towers.

"I'd be happier if I had something to do other than watching daytime television," murmured Anna, offering a polite smile in greeting the two SHIELD spies that moved forward to join the group. "Expect me at eight-am tomorrow morning."

Stark spoke from the corner of his mouth. "Nice try, kiddo. You're on leave till the 12th. Enjoy it."

She glared at him. "I feel fine."

"I'm not buying it. I had your pay-check forwarded to your account. You're good to go for the next few weeks. There's a new Broadway show-" the genius trailed off, eyes diverting to the opposite side of the walk. Anna followed his gaze.

The two Norse gods entered the vicinity. Thor led the way forward, his grip tight on his brother's shoulder. He stood tall in his armour, his scarlet red cape billowing in the light breeze. Beside him, Loki's eyes swept across the group of heroes and SHIELD operatives. His silver tongue was muzzled by an intricate device fashioned by Stark Industries. He, too, wore his Asgardian panoply.

Standing beside them was Director Fury, his stare dark.

"Looks like we're waiting on Doc and the Cap," hummed Stark, stepping forward to join the crowd of heroes.

Anna kept her distance, folding her arms across her chest. She watched as Stark greeted the God of Thunder, listening as the two Avengers exchanged pleasantries. Her thought process was interrupted by the roar of an engine. She turned to her right, lips pulling upward into a small smile as she watched Steve Rogers dismount from his motorcycle.

Steve was dressed in his best clothing, his signature tan leather jacket hunched over his shoulders. He strode forward, flashing a smile at the analyst as he neared her. "I didn't think you'd be here," he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"And miss this?" asked Anna, gesturing to the close departure of the villainous God. "I wouldn't miss this for the world. I'm just severely hoping he doesn't make a comeback." At Steve's furrowed brow, she elaborated. "It happens a lot. In films, I mean."

He nodded. "Oh."

Stark returned from his brief conversation. He cocked his head in gesture to the blonde God. "Annie," he said. "You're wanted."

The female frowned. She excused herself from the two males and strode toward the Asgardians, the frown etched upon her lips. As she neared the blonde male, she offered him a tight half-smile.

"Anna Wellington," greeted Thor, turning away from his brother; his grip did not lessen. "Stark said you wished to speak to me."

She nodded her head. "Yes," she said, pulling black the sleeves of her jacket. "What are these?" asked Anna, holding her arm up high for the God. She pointed to the three dark lines embedded in her flesh, her stare questioning.

Thor was quiet. He studied the marks with a frown upon his face. "I do not know," he said, apologising to the brunette with a sorrowful expression. "Loki's magic is too advanced, too unfamiliar. I am afraid I do not know what they mean."

The analyst bit her lip. She turned to face the God of Mischief who stood less than five feet away, his words trapped behind the metal restraints.

She lowered her voice, though she was sure the raven-haired God could hear her. "Will it harm me?"

Thor looked ashamed. He bowed his head. "I cannot say. Upon my return to Asgard, I will send for the court. Together we will search for an answer." Thor paused. "Loki will be punished for his crimes, Lady Anna. I assure you."

"Thank you," murmured Anna, skilfully avoiding the eyes of the God's adoptive brother. She walked away and turned to her right to face the remaining Avengers.

"Everything OK?" asked Stark, watching her expression carefully.

Anna nodded her head, her face hard. "You're taking Dr. Banner to the airport?" she asked, eyeing the go-bag in Banner's arms. She flashed him a small smile, raising her hand in goodbye.

"I figured it's the least I could do figuring the bigger guy saved my life," quipped Stark. "And you? What are you going to do?"

"Go home. Sleep. Watch day-time television."

Stark rolled his eyes. "Sounds thrilling."

"Of course, I _could_ go back to work-"

"Forget it, Annie."

She smiled despite herself. "OK," she began. "I don't think I'm really needed here anymore, so I'm going to go back home. You know what I'm like with goodbyes." At this, Stark nodded his head. "I'll see you soon, OK?"

"Of course."

Anna waved her hand in greeting and slipped through the patrolling agents, walking in the direction of the Subway line to head back to lower Chelsea. She pulled her new tech-phone out of her pocket and tapped out a message to Stark: _let me know when it's all over._

* * *

The two Norse Gods had left, leaving nothing more than news reports and tired heroes in their wake. Steve Rogers stared at the spot where the two Gods had stood, blue eyes gazing out over the grasslands and walkways of Central Park. He stood in silence for a few moments, mulling over his thoughts. Doubt struck his mind and he struggled to come to a conclusion.

And then he spotted Stark and Banner walking away, heading to the billionnairre's sports car.

"Stark," called Steve, striding over toward the other hero. "I need to ask you something."

Stark raised his brows. "If it's not important, I don't want to hear it. Our mission's over, Rogers. And I have to get this big guy to the airport, so if you don't mind," said the genius, and he turned away, wanting nothing more than to get his good deed over with and return to Stark towers and to Pepper.

"It's about Anna."

That caught Stark's attention. He turned to face the Captain with a serious expression on his face, eyes flashing with impatience. "What about Anna?"

Steve paused. His brows furrowed. His voice was stern, but his expression betrayed his confidence. "I want to take her somewhere. A... date."

Stark stared at the super-soldier with a disbelieving look. "And where are you thinking of taking her on this 'date'? The dating game has changed in the past seventy years, Cap. You're not thinking of doing something cliché and taking her to the movies with a walk through Central Park, are you?" He gestured to their meeting place.

Steve's jaw set in annoyance and a light pink hue dusted his cheeks. "No, I-"

"You are, aren't you? You're wanting to take her to the movies. Do you even know what kind of movies Anna likes?" asked Stark, raising his brows in a 'you-know-I'm-right' expression. He shook his head at the pitiful idea and let out an exaggerated sigh. "Look," said Stark. "I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing this for her. God knows the girl needs to go out on a date and lose some of her rigidness. And, if I'm totally honest with you, you're not the kind of guy I'd choose for her but, seeing as you've been together in the same building for more than two days without wanting to kill one another, I'm going to cut you a deal, OK, boywonder?"

Steve nodded stiffly. "Name your terms."

"My terms?" laughed Stark, eyes crinkling in amusement. "OK." Suddenly his expression shifted, and he held up one finger. "One," began Stark, naming his terms. "You treat her right. You treat her as a human. Anna is a girl, but she's no fragile piece of stained glass. You talk down to her or treat her differently, you will lose any chance you have with her. She's a firecracker. You light that fuse, she jets off. Two, talk_ to_ her and not _at_ her. You're a soldier and you know how to follow orders, like now for example. Anna hates orders. She does things on her own merit.

"Three, watch out for her wordplays. Women are capable of getting the most information out of men. We're supposedly the weaker sex, and Anna knows how to exploit that. She'll run rings around you before you can even blink. And finally, go halves. Don't pay for the meal. Anna's salary is a seven-figure number. Though it was acceptable back in the fighting forties for a man to pay for her meal and drinks, Anna hates it. She hates charity. Like I said, she values her merit." Stark paused and waited for the soldier to digest the information. "Understood?"

Steve nodded once more. "Thanks for the info." He turned away, walking towards his motorcycle when Stark's voice called him back.

"And Rogers?"

"Yeah?"

"Chinese food. Documentaries. And she won't admit it, but she's a sucker for anything to do with dogs."

A thankful smile pulled at Steve's lips. "Got it."

* * *

**AN: And there you have it. The end of the Avengers film and the end of this story. Please Review!**

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**...I'm kidding! Now that I've finished writing up the Avengers film, the next few chapters will be the bridge between Avengers and Iron Man 3. This story will then be complete and a sequel will be posted after the release of Iron Man 3. **

**I have been working non-stop lately (not to mention celebrating my birthday), so this chapter was postponed for a few days. What do you think? Please review and let me know - I love reading all of the feedback (both good and bad). **

**Also - I'm thinking of starting a little 'one-shot' story. I recently re-watched Iron Man and there are so many scenes I want to add Anna into. It would be little sneak peaks into their colourful past (and excluded scenes from Recruited). Would you guys be interested in that? **

**Please Review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Recruited - Chapter Seventeen**

The walk from the subway station to the recently renovated office building was a short, twelve-minute stretch. The analyst's clothing was casual with no real degree of style or care: an over-sized pale peach sweatshirt paired with faded jeans and a pair of white tennis shoes. The long sleeves of the sweater covered the curious looking blue lines etched into her skin, and it shielded her body from the cool gusts of wind.

"Morning, Kimberly," murmured Anna, stalking toward the reception desk. The brunette's hair tumbled down her back in loose waves, her posture self-assured. She flashed her identification at the blonde. The air-conditioning blew out cool shots of air. "Do you have any mail for me?"

The blonde receptionist blinked her wide brown eyes and set to typing away at her computer. "You know you're not supposed to be back till the 8th, right?" Poll held up a filed daisy-yellow post-it note with the date scrawled on its front.

"Mm," hummed Anna, recognising Stark's untidy penmanship. She fought back the urge to roll her eyes. "It was just a precaution. I'm fine," she added, waving away the woman's disbelieving stare. "Mail?" she repeated, peering over the desk. Anna folded her arms over her chest, acutely aware of the cameras watching her every move. She wondered how long it would take Stark to realise she was in the building.

Poll handed the analyst a stack of letters tied together with brown string. "I'm pretty sure there's something from your brother in there. I think I caught sight of a Chicago stamp."

"Great," said Anna, turning away, throwing the receptionist a rare smile, thankful that the blonde hadn't ratted her out to Stark. "Thanks, Kim."

The woman moved her way through the busy lobby, slinking past black-suited men, their phones glued to their ears, toward the elevator doors. She tapped her sneaker clad feet on the marble flooring, punching the 'call' button. Anna folded her arms across her chest once more, the stack of letters clutched in her fingertips, letting a heavy breath escape her mouth.

It had been two weeks since the Norse God and his alien army had wreaked havoc on New York City. Three weeks since Anna had stumbled upon SHIELD Director Nick Fury in her office. Ten days since she had last seen and conversed with Nick Fury of SHIELD and Captain Rogers.

The sound of the elevator doors opening pulled the female from her thoughts. She strode into the steel box, pressing her identification card up against the scanner. She watched as the digital screen read: _Access Granted - Anna J. Wellington. _The elevator began to creep higher and higher, Anna fussing with her smart phone. Less than four minutes later, the doors opened, and Anna exited the elevator.

Her eyes gazed around the floor, widening at every turn. The letters slipped out of her grasp. "What the hell?" she muttered, gaping at the lack of electrical equipment. Her digital glass displays, all twenty of them, had vanished. The two Stark Industries adapted iMac computers had disappeared, her modems and mainframes gone. Alarmed, the doctor stalked toward the intercom system and pressed her thumb against the scan-pad. "JARVIS, where is all of my stuff? What's going on?"

_"One moment, Miss Wellington."_

"No," disagreed Anna, impatient as ever. "I will _not _wait 'one moment'. Where is it?"

The artificial intelligence fell silent.

"JARVIS," warned Anna, her glare fixated at the speakers built into the alcoves. "What is going on? Where's my equipment?"

_"I am afraid I cannot say, Dr. Wellington."_

Anna blanched. "What? JARVIS, no excuses. Now."

The elevator doors opened and Anna turned, her frown plastered on her face.

Tony Stark stalked along the corridor, dressed in his signature black pants and grey sweatshirt. His face was still scarred from the battle; his lips cut and his cheeks bruised. "Hey, JARVIS?" called the billionaire, ignoring the glare his employee shot him. "You're the best. And you," said Stark, turning to face his analyst. He frowned. "You're not supposed to be here. I gave you the week off."

Anna shrugged her shoulders. She dropped her satchel on the floor. "I got bored. Where's all my stuff, Tony?"

"It's a surprise."

She stared at him, exasperated. "I hate surprises. You know this. Or have you forgotten the fiasco that was my _surprise_ twenty-fifth birthday party?" Her phone buzzed in her hand. Anna glanced down at it, hitting the 'read' button. "It's been two weeks, Tony. I'm ready to come back. I'm _more_ than ready. I need something to do. I'll go insane if I'm left alone."

"Anna-"

"Where's my stuff?" repeated Anna, gesturing to the emptiness of the floor. "Do you know how long it took me to get that office layout exactly the way I wanted it?"

Stark inclined his head. "Three weeks. With an extra two days spent cleaning." He held up his hands. "Look, this was going to be a surprise, OK? That's why I wanted you out of the building. I booked you a five-night stay at my place in Hawaii."

"I hate flying."

"You hate flying," mimicked Stark under his breath. He rolled his eyes and stepped closer to his employee, his boots clacking against the flooring. "You spent a week on Fury's flying ship and you never had a problem-"

"I didn't have a choice."

"Oh," argued Stark, shaking his head. "You had a choice, Annie. You survived being forty-thousand miles up in the air with no problem. What made you feel safe? Was it Rogers?"

Anna laughed with indignation, but she couldn't fight off the blush that crept up her neck towards her cheeks. She rolled her eyes. "What's Steve got to do with anything?"

Stark smirked. He raised his brows in a suggestive manner. "Steve is it? You two seem to be awfully close. Have you heard from-"

"Get that idea out of your head, Tony. Steve's a nice guy, but there's nothing going on between us. I haven't heard from him since the Central Park media fiasco."

Her boss fell silent. His gaze contemplative. "You haven't?"

"No," said Anna. "And we're not talking about Steve. We're talking about _my_ office that _you_ have destroyed. Where's all my stuff?"

She paused, her chest heaving with a heavy sigh. She hated the sight of the empty floor. She needed her work to keep her sane. At home, she had tried to hack into Stark's mainframe to continue her work but Stark had erected extra firewalls and passcode systems. Anna tapped her foot against the floor, impatient.

His answer was simple. "I moved your floor."

_"What?"_

Stark moved forward, gesturing to the windows over looking the busy streets of Manhattan. "I decided you could do with a change of scenery-"

Anna glowered at him. "If you tell me that you moved me to work with SHIELD, you have another thing coming, Tony. Stark Industries is my home." Her fingers curled inward to form fists. Her dark curls framed her face, her eyes blazing with anger at the thought. "I can't work for anyone else. You're the only one who knows how I work. And you understand it. I don't want to work for anyone else-"

A rare, untainted smile pulled at the male's lips. He nodded his head. "Are you done?" he asked, checking his watch in an exaggerated performance. "Or is there more?"

Anna stilled her movement. "Oh, there's more-"

"Then let me stop you there, Annie-" And with that, Stark pulled out a folded file from his jeans pocket.

"Sign here."

The analyst snatched the paper from his fingertips, her eyes widening as she digested the words.

_Legal Documentation Detailing the Following Promotion_

_Anna Jean Wellington _is to be _Stark Industries' _newest _Head of Research and Development. _

_Signatories:_ V. Potts, A. Stark, A. Wellington.

Her voice shook as she spoke. "What is this?" she breathed, clutching the paper tightly in her hand. Anna blinked and she read the document again. "You're… promoting me?" she questioned in disbelief. "You're promoting me? I have nothing to do with R and D-"

"On the contrary," interrupted Stark. "You now have _everything_ to do with Research and Development. It's yours. Something for you to play with. And I think you'll be happy to know that Stark Industries just accepted a very interesting merger with a certain green-skinned scientist. Did I mention this particular man has some issues controlling his temper?"

"_What?"_

Stark smiled in response. "Are you done questioning me now? Would you like to see your new living space?"

Anna could only nod her head.

* * *

The walls of the eightieth floor were made entirely of glass; white-stripped beams separated the research areas, each section given its own glass walkway. The floor was made of marble that glistened in the New York sun that streamed in through the glass. Anna stared around the floor in amazement. She noted the living area designed for relaxation and stillness, and eyed the two plush white sofas with appreciation. A glass coffee table was placed between them - its interface wirelessly electronic.

Beyond the living space was the kitchen, equipped with stainless steel high and low cupboards. She could smell the caffeine from where she stood.

"This is-", she paused, struggling to find the right words.

"Too much?" offered Stark, peering over at the analyst. He had folded his arms over his chest, awaiting her response.

She shook her head. "Impressive," she finished. "Tony, this is amazing." Her gaze turned serious. "How long have you been working on this?"

"A little before SHIELD intervened."

Anna gestured to the walls. "But what about privacy? What if someone wanted to look in on this. It wouldn't be the first time someone's tried to steal Stark Industries technology."

"Now that," began Stark, beckoning the analyst forward, "is something I thought of months ago. It's reflector glass." He turned back to face his analyst, rapping on the glass window with his knuckles. "The same kind used on the heli-carrier. Also commonly seen in detective shows." His lips twitched. "No one can see in. You can only see out of this glass."

Anna murmured another expression of amazement under her breath. She couldn't believe that this was all hers - that she was being _promoted. _What had she done to merit promotion? "Why me?" she asked, trying to hold back a frown.

"Because you are one of the very few people I trust, Annie. And I happen to like spoiling those whom I can. You like it?"

"But won't people question this promotion? Won't they ask _why_ I suddenly have this floor to myself?"

He shook his head. "Pepper's already on it."

* * *

Another week passed. Anna had spent the remainder of the working week tied up in her offices, overseeing the entirety of the Research and Development floors. Six of the glass walls displayed the security footage: researchers and engineers battled it out on the lower floors, trying to find new ways to complete their tasks. On Tuesday, Anna had held a voice conference with Dr. Bruce Banner, surprised that the man was willing to merge with Stark Industries.

"_Let's just say that Stark doesn't take no for an answer_," Bruce had commented.

By Friday, the analyst had resorted to lounging on the plump snow white sofas, staring at the equations on her smart tablet. She frowned and stroked her fingers inward, the equations scrolling together to form a wad of numbers. Pulling her fingers back from the screen, the numbers leapt off the tablet in three-dimensional form. Anna placed her second finger on top of her thumb and flicked the sequence to the virtual garbage can.

"She shoots… And she scores," she murmured half-heartedly, ignoring JARVIS' sarcastic undertones.

_"Miss Wellington,"_ called the computer system, _"might I suggest that you take a break from your work?" _

Anna glanced up from the sheet of glass, staring up at the ceiling. "You may, JARVIS. But it doesn't mean I'm going to do it."

_"I thought not."_

She tapped her fingers against the cool glass, humming a song under her breath. She wiped away the Stark Ind. logo home-screen and opened her web browser. Her fingers moved across the touch-pad, typing in her query. Thousands of results loaded the first page, many of them recent news articles. The brunette scrolled down knowing that they would be of no use.

Anna was so absorbed in her search, she did not notice the footsteps heading towards her.

"I told you to take the weekend off at the very least."

"What can I say?" muttered the brunette, dropping the tablet in her lap. She gladly accepted the cup of steaming caffeine from her boss. "I just love being here." She paused, snatching a stack of papers from the table closest to her. "It's been three weeks now, Tony. Oh, and Kimberly Poll, the secretary from the lobby, just beeped me. The contractors are going to start work on the new sign next Tuesday."

Stark raised his brows. "The new sign?"

Anna turned to stare at the superhero. "Yes," she said, forming her words slowly. "The STARK sign was ruined in the aftermath of the battle. As it's a ten-letter job. It'll take an entire morning to fix."

"Ten? S-T-A-R-K is five letters, sunshine."

"W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N. Ten letters." Anna laughed, gaging her boss's reaction: Stark merely raised his brows. "I'm kidding. S-T-A-R-K T-O-W-E-R is ten letters." She paused. "I quite like the 'A' though. A silent reminder of New York's mightiest heroes."

"Correction," said Stark, handing her a manila-coloured folder. "Loki took the fight to Europe. The term you're searching for is earth's mightiest heroes."

Anna rolled her eyes, firing up her digital displays. "You're so full of yourself," she muttered, pulling out her glasses case from her bag. She slipped the wire frames on the bridge of her nose and tapped her finger against the screens.

Stark frowned. "You're wearing your glasses? Did you forget to renew your contact prescription? I can have it logged to the system. Have JARVIS do all your dirty work-"

"No," murmured Anna, rubbing at her eyes. "My vision has been a little odd for the past couple of days. I have an appointment with my optometrist tomorrow afternoon. I think my prescription is a little outdated." She paused. "Where are my files? They're gone."

"I moved them. Try file numbers nine-eight-zero and four-two-seven."

"Got them," murmured Anna, opening the files on the screens. "If I ever figure out the meaning behind my new tattoo courtesy of Loki, I'll get straight to it I'm sorry that it's taking me so long. It's just… hard to focus right now."

"You're doing research on Loki again?" frowned Stark. "Sunshine," he said, words quiet and gentle. "That isn't healthy."

"None of it is healthy," replied Anna. "Least of all these," she said, gesturing to the blue lines inked to her skin. "I want them gone." She sighed and rubbed at her tired eyes, light traces of brown mascara smudged against her skin. "I had an appointment with the doctor you recommended. I presented him my findings, but he has no idea what these marks are. And when we were in Central Park, before Thor and… Loki left… I asked Thor. He said he didn't know."

Stark paused. "That's all he offered? His brother _branded _you."

"Well," muttered Anna. "Let's hope that's all this is: a branding." She sighed. "He couldn't break me, so he scarred me."

"We'll figure it out, Annie." Stark rested his hand on her shoulder before walking away. "We always do."

* * *

Lost in her research, the woman ignored the shrill ringing of her smart phone. The built-in speaker answering machine picked up the call.

_"You have reached Dr. Wellington's Office. Unfortunately, I can't take your call right now. Please leave a message after the tone. Thank you." _

"Anna? It's Steve, I, uh… I've never done this before, so I don't know if you'll get this message…"

The analyst turned, surprise evident in her eyes. A slight smile tugged at her lips as she listened to Steve's message. Picking up the phone to quell Steve's awkwardness, she spoke into the receiver. "Steve?"

"Anna?" exclaimed the soldier, voice broadcasting his confusion. "I thought I was leaving a message. I-"

"You were," confirmed the female. "It sounded like you were struggling, so I thought I'd pick up and make things easier."

"Oh," breathed Steve. "That's… Thanks, I think." he cleared his throat. "How are you?"

The analyst frowned. Why would Steve be calling her? Hadn't he moved on from their near death experiences? "I'm great. And you?"

"I'm OK. I want to ask you something."

"Go on," said Anna, setting the call to 'speaker' mode. She turned back to her glass displays, idly wondering what the soldier would ask her. _Does your arm still resemble a child's colouring book? Tried to destroy New York City lately? _She heard him cough down the line.

"I was wondering if you're doing anything on Thursday."

Slowly, Anna moved back from the screens and stared at the phone in wonder. _What? _"What?" she asked, blurting out the first word that came to mind.

The soldier laughed. He sounded almost bashful. "I was wondering if you're-"

"No," Anna cut in. "I heard that. I mean: _why _do you want to know if I'm doing anything on Thursday?"

"Well," began the male, stumbling over his words. "There's something I wanted to do. And I was wondering if you'd want to do it with me."

Anna stopped all movement. Was he asking her out on a date? Did Steve Rogers happen to… _like_ her? "…In the evening?" she asked.

"No," said Steve. "In the afternoon."

"Oh," breathed Anna, and, for a moment, before she could stop it, she felt deflated. "Oh," she repeated. "OK. What time?"

A pregnant pause on the line. "Three o'clock? It's just… there's someone I'd like you to meet."

"That's…" Anna stopped herself. She closed her eyes. "That's not a good time for me, Steve. I'm really sorry." _What? _cried her subconscious. _No, you're not. You'll be here. At work. _"I have plans. Maybe some other time?"

"Oh," mumbled Steve.

Anna opened her eyes. She felt awful.

"OK," said the soldier. And she heard him fumble with the phone, and before the call ended, she heard him curse under his breath.

She slumped against the crystal table-top, resting her cheek on the cool glass. She let out a sigh and jumped as she heard _his_ voice echo around the floor.

"Was that Rogers on the phone?" called Stark, his face appearing on each of the screens.

Anna held her hand to her heart. "Tony, one of you is more than enough. I'm seeing nine of you right now. It's not a pretty picture."

"Rogers?"

The analyst bit her lip and hummed. "Mhm," she murmured, busying herself with the displays. She switched all but one off, glad to see just one Tony Stark staring down at her. _One was more than enough._ "What of it?"

"Just curious. As your boss, I find monitoring your phone calls to be of extreme importance."

"I bet," muttered Anna.

"Hey, Sunshine? Everything OK? You don't seem too sunny to me."

"I take it you were listening."

"Of course. _Captain America_ was on the phone. How could I not? What if he was to revolt against SHIELD and Fury? What then?"

The woman groaned and rested her head in her hands. "I can't believe we're having this conversation right now."

"And I can't believe that you just lied to Mr. Stars and Stripes. You know, I heard that Rogers is incapable of telling lies. That he'd just seize up because part of the Captain America getup is that he has to be virtuous."

"Tony?"

"Yes, Annie?"

"Go bother Pepper." And with that, the twenty-seven-year-old severed the video feed.

* * *

Anna felt exhausted. She had done nothing but stare at her glass walls for the past half an hour, staring but not really seeing. Her eyes burned and stung, and she rubbed at them repeatedly, wishing the feeling away. The New York City summer sun was blisteringly hot, but Anna was cold. Her skin was as cool as ice. She wrapped the jacket around her torso tighter.

She walked out of Stark Industries, away from the prying eyes of Virginia Potts. As much as Anna loved the businesswoman, Potts had continuously asked the analyst about her strange behaviour. Anna had no answers to give. She felt cold. That was all she knew.

The analyst made her way through the lobby and outside. She ignored the confused glance that Poll shot her from behind the reception desk.

Once outside, Anna turned right. She carried on walking, staring down at the ground, till she walked into something solid. She looked up and began to apologise to the businessman, but the man briskly shoved her aside. The man swore at her, and Anna just stared at him. She didn't take charge of the situation until another man intervened.

_Steve._

"You should watch where you're going!" barked the first male, glaring at the analyst. "You made me spill my drink. Look at my suit!" He gestured to the coffee-stain on his suit jacket.

"Your suit looked revolting before the coffee," said Anna. She ignored the incredulous look Steve shot her. It read: _you're not helping yourself, Wellington. _

The man puffed out his chest. His face became red. "Who do you think-"

"No," interrupted Anna, tired of the conversation. Her head was beginning to hurt. "Who do _you_ think _you_ are? And why do you think I care about your suit? It's fake Armani. It probably cost you less than a hundred-dollars." She had been eyeing the stitch-work for a moment. It was an obvious fake. Stark had dozens of suits tailored by the designer. The analyst had recognised the cut. "And I'm in a really, really bad mood. So if you don't mind…"

She pushed past the two men, idly aware of Steve following her.

"Anna?" voiced Steve, placing his hand on her upper-arm.

Defeated, she stopped walking. She turned to face him. "Mm?"

Steve frowned. He looked dejected. "Are you not at work today?"

Anna shook her head. "I'm taking the rest of the afternoon off. Why?"

"Because," started Steve, stuffing his hands inside the pockets of his black jacket. "Today is Thursday."

"Oh." Anna felt her pulse increase. _Damn it. _"I just-" _Hold on._ She stopped trying to think of an excuse. "Why were you loitering outside the Stark building?"

The captain half-smiled. "I had hoped I could change your mind about coming with me this afternoon."

Anna let out the breath she had been holding. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. "Sure," she said, deciding that it couldn't hurt. It Steve was so adamant about spending time with her, she may as well see what it was all about. "Let's go."

* * *

**Author Note: Thank you so much for all of the reviews! And did I mention last time that Recruited has hit over 1000(!) alerts?**

**And 680 reviews - that's incredible! I would love to think that this story will reach 1000 by the time it's over and done with. **

**I have a few things to say (and hopefully I won't ramble on too long): **

**- this story is not over! A few of you commented saying how sad you are that's it's finished and unresolved. Hopefully this update will show you that I am in no way done with this story. **

**- to those of you wondering about Loki's little art project on Anna's arm, you will get your answers soon (in the next couple of chapters). I must say I do love some of your guesses - some are quite close and others are just out-of-this-world (geddit?) **

**- the Anna / Iron Man / Recruited edits story. A lot of you have asked for this. I am more than happy to start posting some bits and pieces. If you're interested in reading (just to know that it's something worthwhile), please review and let me know. **

**- and, finally, as a thank you: would you be interested in having your own 5000-word plus one-shot with the Avengers of your choice? If so, read on. I'm looking for a banner/video trailer for Recruited to add on the story and on my home-page. If you have quite the artistic flair, please get in touch via Review or PM. The winner will be chosen by myself. And the story will be posted a few days afterward. To make things fair, I'm going to let it run till Sept 1st. So, if you're interested, Review/PM! **

**- …this is the final point, I promise. How many of you would be interested in reading a Batman TDKR story? I have a really great idea for an OC and hopefully you'll love her as much as you love Anna. It will either be a Bruce/OC Blake/OC or Bane/OC. Let me know which one you prefer? I have plots for each! **

**Please Review!**

**~ Little April**


	18. Chapter 18

**Recruited - Chapter Eighteen**

"What is it you wanted to show me?"

Anna felt as though she had been walking for hours. The hero and the analyst had strolled down the avenue away from Stark Towers, toward the nearby Subway station. Led by Steve, Anna followed him through the throngs of New York citizens. She avoided the curious gazes shot in their direction, and bowed her head. Since leaving the building, her headache had only worsened. It felt as though minute knives were being embedded into her skull.

Steve glanced to the woman on his right. "It's not a what," corrected the male. "It's a who."

He had led them down to the underground subway tunnel and paid for their railcards, the two of them idly aware of the excited chatter surrounding their entrance. Since the attack on New York City, SHIELD's inability to deny Steve Rogers' return had led to a dramatic increase in _Captain America_ comic-book sales.

Steve tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket and turned away from the other Subway travellers. He watched as Anna leant against the tiled walls of the below ground station, her eyes closed.

"Where is it we're going?" she asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the smell of pollution.

The soldier withdrew his hands from his pockets and pulled out a square-shaped not-yet-released phone tablet. He thumbed a button, his eyes reading the screen. "238th Street."

Anna looked down at the device in Steve's hands. Her brows rose. "Is that a Stark Industries smartphone? How did you get your hands on that?" she asked, frowning.

Her questioning was interrupted as the Subway car pulled into the station. The two moved forward, pushing past the groups, to climb aboard. Once inside the car, Anna led them to two empty burnt orange seats. The plastic was hard and uncomfortable, but better than swaying all over the place with the movement of the train. They sat opposite an African-American woman and her small child. Anna watched as the little boy stared at Steve in amazement. _Evidently a Captain America fan,_ thought Anna.

Steve held the phone by his fingertips, studying it silently. "Stark gave it to me. I was having trouble with the one SHIELD had. It had too many buttons." He looked away, seemingly embarrassed. "But this one is voice automated. It lets me control it by asking it do things. Like this," said Steve, and he spoke Anna's name into the device.

Seconds later, Anna's phone vibrated in her pocket.

Steve smiled. "See?"

Anna bit her lip, wanting to blurt out how voice controlled technology had been around for years, but stayed quiet. She allowed Steve his five seconds of amazement. He had been frozen for over half a century, after all. Suddenly, the female paused. "Hold on," she asked, confused, "how did you get my number?"

The smile on the soldier's face vanished. He frowned. "I don't know," said Steve. "I just said your name and it called you. I just thought it might have swept through the phone book or something." A slight pink tinge coloured his cheeks. "Can phones do that?"

She answered with a question of her own. "May I?"

Steve handed over the sleek device, sitting back in his seat. He took a slow sip from his water bottle, watching as Anna thumbed through the contacts.

Anna refrained from rolling her eyes, for four numbers had been programmed into the phone:

_OWN NUMBER_

_SHIELD NY OFFICES_

_STARK INDUSTRIES_

_WELLINGTON, ANNA_

The analyst flicked the phone back to the home screen and handed it back to Steve. _What is Tony playing at?_ she mused, wrapping her fingers around her own bottle of water. _Why would he give Steve her private cell number?_

She stayed silent for the remainder of the journey, lost in her own thoughts.

* * *

Steve had brought them to a large, red-brick building. It was located on the outskirts of Burke Avenue, closer to Allerton than either of them had realised.

The building was old, noted Anna, and must have dated back to the late nineteenth century. Its roof was crumbling - the slate tiles bare in places. The large cement steps leading to the front door were painted with dirt and rain water. The windows at the front of the building were Georgian; each glass pane secured with iron bars. Above the faded black door was a sign. Its lettering was faded and missing in places, but the analyst read the title with surprise.

_A.S.N.Y Burke Ave._

Anna frowned and stared at the building in confusion. "A dog shelter," she stated, staring at the crumbling exterior walls. "What are we doing at a dog shelter?"

Steve stuffed his hands inside his jean pockets. "I was thinking about getting a dog," he admitted, moving forward to the entrance of the sanctuary. He punched the buzzer and waited for the door to click. "The apartment SHIELD has set out for me is a little quiet. With no aliens roaming around the city, I could use the company." Steve smiled, proud of his light joke.

Anna barely cracked a smile. "But why a shelter?" she asked, unfolding her arms. "Don't get me wrong, I understand the importance of shelter dogs getting homes. But why this shelter? The ASPCA is closer to your apartment. And to the city."

Steve shook his head, and he gestured for them to go inside. "Like I said," he pushed open the door, "there's someone I'd like for you to meet."

* * *

The inside of the building was much more welcoming than its exterior, thought Anna. The walls were painted magnolia, decorated with framed canvas prints of various animals and breeds, and a small desk with a wooden top was located at the far end of the entrance foyer. The floor was so clean it reflected their forms. Anna was so lost in taking in the room, she had failed to notice the woman from behind the desk slide toward the.

The woman was short and plump, her brown hair streaked with grey. She wore wire-framed round glasses that reminded Anna of a barn owl. The polo shirt the woman wore was speckled with dust and animal-food stains. She greeted the two warmly, shaking their hands with gusto.

Anna guessed that the woman had met Steve before.

"Mr. Rogers," greeted the manager, resting her hands on her hips. "It's go great to see you again. Did you read those pamphlets I gave you?"

"Yes, Ma'am," answered Steve, nodding his head. He turned to the analyst and introduced the two. "Mrs. Maycock, this is Anna Wellington. Anna, Mrs. Maycock owns and runs the shelter."

"It's nice to meet you," gushed Maycock, shaking the analyst's hand once more. "Are you two-"

"Oh, no," began Steve, shaking his head, his cheeks turning rather red.

"No," agreed Anna, hazel eyes wide. She coughed awkwardly and looked at anything but the soldier. She knew her own cheeks were turning pink, but she couldn't identify the warmth that usually accompanied the change in colour.

"Oh," murmured Maycock, shaking her own head. "No matter. It's nice to meet you, though, dear."

Anna could only mumble a short, "You, too," before Maycock leapt into another conversation with the soldier.

"And you're sure of your choice, dear?"

Steve smiled and nodded his head. "Yes. But I'd like to see him again. Just to be certain."

"Of course, of course. You know your way, don't you, Steve? If you need anything, just give me a call." And with that, Maycock handed the soldier a key and gestured for the two to leave through the door which read _Employees Only. _"When you come back, I'll have some forms for you to fill out, Mr. Rogers. I'll just find the paperwork now…"

The hero turned to face the analyst. He smiled and stalked forward, pulling open the door, gesturing for the female to go first. As she did so, Steve closed the door behind them.

* * *

Beyond the door was a long, narrow corridor. The hallway was lined with ceiling-to-floor shelving which housed various brands of animal food, bedding, and cleaning products. The walls were painted periwinkle blue and, at the opposite end of the corridor, two sets of double-doors loomed ahead of them. Steve led the way forward, his strides long, and pushed open the doors.

A number of crates and pens greeted them, each filled with animals. The two ex-SHIELD recruits passed West Highland White Terrier pups and short-haired kittens, toward the largest pen situated at the other end of the room.

The pen was large with an over-sized dog kennel in the top right hand corner. A water and food bowl were tipped upside down at the edge of the pen, the stainless steel bowls touching the wire fencing.

Anna stared at the empty pen with confusion. Beside her, Steve knelt in front of the pen and placed his hands on the fence, calling out to the hidden animal.

"Duke?" he called, voice quiet so as not to disturb the other animals. "Duke?" he repeated, rattling the fence with his fingertips. "Hey, buddy-"

"Steve-", began Anna, but she never finished her sentence.

The first part of the animal she saw was its nose. The dog stuck its muzzle out of the kennel and sniffed the air. And slowly, inch by inch, the dog crept out from its hiding place, emerging from its kennel with caution. Upon catching sight of the soldier kneeling beside the cage, the dog hurried over to the fence, its long tongue slipping through the gaps in the wire to lick Steve's hand with appreciation.

Anna looked down at the dog and blinked in surprise. She wasn't quite sure of what to expect from the size of the cage, but the sight of the German Shepherd tucked away inside the shelter pulled at her heartstrings. And without thought, she, too, crouched down beside the fence.

"His name is Duke." Steve bowed his head, his fingers scratching the skin behind the dog's ears. "From what the volunteers have told me, Duke was bred to be in the police force." He glanced up at the analyst to find her listening. "He failed his tests. He wasn't the strongest. Or the fastest. He didn't have the best nose out of the litter. But he took a bullet for his partner. And that's what landed him at the shelter. No one wants a below average dog." Steve pointed a long finger at a mass of the dog's fur, identifying the animal's scar. "He's a-"

"A German Shepherd," murmured Anna, smiling at the young animal. She met Steve's questioning gaze with a short shrug of her shoulders. "My Dad was in the military. When I was younger, we had two German Shepherd dogs, Dax and Zacky. I've loved the breed ever since. They remind me of home." She wasn't sure why she was telling Steve this - this was something she never shared with anyone, not even Stark or Potts. "When my Dad passed away, the army allowed us to keep the dogs till old age took them away. The pain was terrible. I was heart-broken."

Steve cleared his throat. "Stark said that your parents had military background."

"He did?" asked Anna, curious as to why Stark had brought her past up in conversation. She fell to her knees and petted the dog absentmindedly, guessing that the animal was no older than ten months. The puppy nipped at the material of her sweater, and, not wanting to get it ruined, Anna pushed back the sleeves.

The dog stilled. It snapped its jaws at the inked skin of her arm, its canines tearing through the woman's supple flesh.

Crying out in surprise and pain, Anna held the injured arm to her chest, well aware of the blood soaking her clothing. Tears welled in her eyes. The bite wasn't deep, and she rationalised in her head that she wouldn't need stitches. Before her, Duke growled and snapped his jaws again. Steve pushed the woman away from the barking animal.

"Anna?"

"What?" she snapped, holding her injured arm closer to her front. She glowered at the soldier, her bad mood taking over. _Could this day get any worse? _she wondered.

Steve paused. "Your blood is… Well, it's, uh… It's glowing."

Without uttering a word, the woman glanced down at her arm to find that the animal's canines had ripped into her skin, a light stream of glistening sapphire blood trickling down to her wrist. Her breathing increased and she emitted a small noise of disbelief. Before either of them had time to comment on the queer goings on, the broken skin began to mend.

She blinked. The wound had vanished, leaving a thin line of blue liquid staining her pale flesh. "Did I imagine that," breathed the analyst, her voice unsteady, "or did that just happen?"

"It happened," muttered Steve, frowning.

Anna stared at Steve, her expression somewhat frantic. "What the hell is happening to me?"

* * *

Frightened, Anna rushed from the animal center and ran the two blocks to the closest Subway station. She hurried down the steps and paid for a railcard, forcing her way through the turnstiles to climb aboard the arriving train. Having covered her arm with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, Anna pulled out her smartphone and snapped a photo of the wound and e-mailed it to Stark. She explained the situation, of her meeting with Steve Rogers, and how her torn arm had mended itself. She closed her eyes as the Subway car flashed past the stations, her headache growing worse.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket.

_Where are you? - T_

_Subway back to Chelsea. Taking rest of the day off. Research and Drs. Appts. _

_Be careful. - T_

The woman hit out a reply and was about to pocket the phone when it began to vibrate in her hand. She glanced down at the screen to see _Steve R. Calling_ flickering on and off. She hit the 'reject' button and closed her eyes once more, wanting nothing more than to go back to three week's previous to life without SHIELD and curious God-given tattoos.

* * *

Her apartment in Chelsea was modest considering her ever-increasing salary. It was a two-bedroom, north-facing accommodation with large en-suite to the master bedroom and four large reception rooms comprising kitchen, sitting room, home office, and box room. The walls were painted a mixture of browns, caramels, and creams - neutral colours to match the existing furniture.

She had been home now for four hours. At first, she had taken refuge in her bathroom, washing the dried blue blood from her pale, clammy skin. Then, she had fallen into bed for exhaustion had overcome her. By the time she had awoken, the sky was dark. Her dreamless sleep had been interupted by a frantic knocking at the apartment door. Rising from the bed, Anna pulled on a ratty sweatshirt from her closet and tip-toed from the bedroom toward the entrance foyer.

Clutching the door handle in her left hand, the analyst twisted the metal and opened the door.

On her doorstep stood a petite brunette, her highlighted hair twisted into an untidy knot at the back of her head. A slight unsure smile tilted the woman's lips, and she noisily cleared her throat, well aware of the confused stare she received. She wrung her hands. "Hello. Dr. Wellington?" said the brunette, offering her hand.

Anna nodded her head, waiting for the stranger to continue. _What now?_

The visitor breathed a small sigh of relief and reached into the bag she held in her arms. She produced a green folder bursting with paper, and gestured to the contents of the file. "My name is Jane Foster. I have something you need to take a look at."

* * *

**AN: So… how much do you all hate me? I apologise for making you wait so long. My MacBook has been having problems for the last week or so, and it's killing me trying to afford a new one. If anyone fancies giving me £1000, I'd be most appreciative.**

**All joking aside, how bad was this chapter? It's not my favourite, but it's a very important chapter. What did you think of Steve and Anna's interaction? I promise some real romance will be happening soon, but this story, if anything, is realistic, and so it's not going to happen straight away. **

**The Avengers gag reel was released not two days ago, and I've been watching it nonstop since. I am stupidly excited for the release of the DVD, and can't wait to get my hands on the Marvel Universe Blu-Ray boxset. As soon as I have that, I will get around to writing the Iron Man 1/2 one-shots. I have some really great ideas planned for that oneshot/drabble series. So keep your eyes open… **

**I am hoping to update again hopefully in the next ten days or so (but don't hold me to that…). So… let me know what you think by reviewing! **


	19. Chapter 19

Apologies for the near two-month delay - more info at the end of chapter Author Note!

**Recruited - Chapter Nineteen**

_Jane Foster cleared her throat and began to speak, her voice light in the stretched out silence. "I realise it's late. And that it's really very rude of me to turn up unannounced, but my flight landed less than an hour ago. I thought you'd appreciate the news sooner rather than later." She shifted her weight from side to side in anticipation._

_The analyst said nothing. She nodded her head, waiting for the other brunette to continue._

_"Like I said," carried on the stranger. "My name is Jane Foster. I'm an astro-"_

_"An astrophysicist," finished Anna, fighting back a small, half-hearted laugh at the surprised look on the woman's face. "I remember your name from when Stark Industries had me look into the mess that was Thor's visit to New Mexico. Jane Foster and Daphne Lewis?"_

_"Darcy," corrected Jane, shaking her head, still clutching her folder. "Darcy Lewis. She's my intern from the university. A political science major. She's been helping me out, again, for the last couple of weeks."_

_"Helping you with what?"_

_Jane inclined her head toward Anna's folded arms. "Searching for answers. Thor told me of his… brother. And what happened to your arm. He asked me to help." _

_With a curt nod, Anna moved to the side to let the newcomer enter her home. "Come in." _

* * *

Anna stared around at the research that littered her apartment floor. The large station clock above the fireplace read that it was now nine o'clock in the evening. The two women nursed their cold fingertips with mugs of freshly brewed coffee; the analyst clutching hers with a vast sense of unease settling in her stomach.

Letting out a tired breath, Anna looked down at her mug and wore a grim frown as her eyes caught sight of her bare arms. Her mind flashed back to her meeting with Steve and Duke, how the animal's canines had tore into her flesh. She winced at the memory, willing herself to forget. It was no use. The memory played over and over in her mind - a permanent reminder of her abnormality. With a shake of her head, she willed herself to listen to the astrophysicist, tugging on the sleeves of her sweater in discomfort.

"And the lines," mused Jane, "might represent something else. But that's all we have so far."

The analyst looked at the brunette with interest. Having allowed Jane Foster entrance to her home, Anna had guided the woman into her living room. The two sat on opposite sides of the living space: Jane lounging on the sofa with her bag resting on her lap, Anna with her back propped up against the chaise longue.

"Loki is able to manipulate his magic. He's able to project energy, cast illusions and magic, alter his appearance and increase his strength." Upon finishing her sentence, Jane fixed Anna with a pointed look. "He's also able to grant certain abilities to living beings both with and without the power of the tesseract. Loki's magic is ancient. And, from what Thor told me, he's acquired new magic; magic that Thor and his people have yet to find. The Asgardian Council think that the markings on your arm are part of that new magic."

"But what does it mean?" asked Anna, frowning. "He didn't need to heal me. He could have left me to suffer through the pain."

"Well," said Jane, biting her bottom lip. "It could mean a lot of things. It could mean that Loki has granted you superhuman abilities, but, from what you've told me, I'd fashion that highly unlikely. You said you've only experienced problems with your sight, temperature, and moods-"

Anna's frown deepened. "I never mentioned my moods."

"No," agreed Jane, a furious blush appearing on her cheeks. "But Stark did. He's the one who arranged my flight to New York and-"

_That would explain it._ Anna sank back against the plump padding of her seat and sighed. "I have been feeling off, but I played that down to the experience of nearly sending the city of Manhattan to a post-apocalyptic state. I had my mind played with."

"And your body," reminded Jane, wearing a frown of her own. She handed the analyst a stack of papers. "Which is why I think that Loki is using you as a constant. A means of inter-dimensional teleportation."

Anna opened her mouth to speak, but Jane held up her hand.

"As a constant," she continued, looking down at her research, "Loki can use you to come back to Earth. He knows you're well protected. He knows that you're a part of the Avengers. And though you're not a superhero, you have superheroes willing to defend your life with theirs. You'll remain safe. And if you're safe, his ticket back to earth remains in tact."

"You have got to be kidding me," muttered the analyst, closing her eyes in discomfort and distress.

"Have you ever heard of astral projection?"

Slowly, Anna shook her head without opening her eyes. Perhaps, if she kept them closed, it would no longer be real.

"What about out-of-body experiences?"

Anna opened her eyes. She nodded. She had heard about these so-called experiences - of the non-physical world and its realm of existence.

"With that in mind, Loki is a Frost Giant. It's possible that his blood is running through your veins-"

"My blood was blue-"

Jane nodded her head. "On the flight," she continued, "I compiled a list of information. Dr. Selvig helped. He has knowledge of Thor's mythology. The Frost Giants, Loki's people, are giant blue beings." She paused for a short moment, seemingly trying to find the right words. "Their blood," murmured Jane, "is the same colour as their skin." She sipped her coffee. "The Asgardian Council think it has something to do with a gift. You served a purpose in Loki's plan, and for that he gave you something in return."

"And does this Council have any idea as to how I get _rid_ of his gift?"

The astrophysicist shook her head and looked down at her lap. "I'm afraid not."

Nodding in dismay, Anna rose to her feet. She placed her still full mug on the coffee table and shuffled the loose sheets of paper she had been given. "Where is it you're staying?" she asked, signalling to the astrophysicist that she had outstayed her welcome.

Jane blinked and jumped to her feet in an awkward, graceless manner. "Stark has set me up with a suite in Times Square-"

"And how long are you staying in New York for?"

"For as long as I'm needed," answered Jane, looking the analyst in the eye. "I really want to help you, Anna. And I'm going to do all that I can to help."

"Thank you," replied the New York native. "And I apologise for my less than stellar manners. I haven't been feeling like myself or wanting to indulge in company. It's-"

"-completely understandable," Jane slipped in, smiling hesitantly, folding her arms across her chest.

The two women exited the lounge and walked toward the entry, Jane placing her feet back into her slip-on flats. She pulled on her coat and opened the latch.

"If you need anything," continued Jane, "feel free to get in touch. My sole purpose to being in New York is to help you. I'll be working with SHIELD for answers. If you need me, I wrote my cell phone number at the top of those papers. My e-mail is on there, too."

"OK," agreed Anna, eager to fall back into the quiet of her apartment.

"And I guess I'll see you tomorrow night."

At this, Anna cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Tomorrow night?"

"The_ Stark Industries _Ball and Gala. In honour of the Avengers. It was all over the news."

"I-"

But Jane didn't listen, for a yellow taxi cab had pulled up outside of the apartment building. "Thanks for meeting with me," gushed Jane, smiling once more, "and for the coffee." She jumped into the vehicle and out of sight.

Anna stared out at the street for a few short moments after the cab had sped away.

The _Stark Industries _Ball and Gala?

She was going to kill him.

* * *

_Stark Industries Manhattan Offices. 9.31am. _

"What do you mean it's mandatory for every employee?" seethed Anna, folding her arms across her chest. She stood in the foyer of the offices, staring down at Kimberly Poll's young face with undisguised anger. The two had been arguing for the past five minutes, Anna well aware of the interested glances sent their way. "It can't be-"

"Stark has requested that all _Stark Ind._ employees are to attend the gala-"

"He can't _make_ me go-"

"Anna," sighed Poll, raking back loose curls of golden hair, "trust me, I don't want to go to this thing either; I have no date and no dress. But it's written in our contracts."

_"What?"_

There was a ruffling of paper, and the pretty receptionist tapped away on her keyboard. "Here we go," murmured Poll. "The _Stark Industries_ Employee Contract. All employees must be able to attend all company functions and out-of-office and hours meetings at the request of CEO Virginia Potts, and owner Anthony Stark. All complaints must be handed in to either member, in writing, for consideration. All employees must note that this process can take up to seventy-two hours - and the decision is at the discretion of said management." Poll glanced back up at the angered analyst. "Why is it you don't want to go, Anna? It's the most exciting thing _Stark Industries_ has ever hosted, not counting the Stark Expos, and-"

But her words fell on deaf ears.

Anna had stormed away from the reception desk, her sneaker clad feet tapping on the marble flooring as she waited for the elevator to fall to the entrance foyer. Having forgone Stark Industries' dress code in her haste to get to the offices, the analyst had dressed in her most comfortable clothes. She folded her arms across her chest yet again, gritting her teeth as other _Stark Industries_ employees attempted small talk. She cast her eyes to the ceiling as she ignored the whispered remarks regarding her attire.

Once the elevator chimed and the doors opened, Anna jumped inside and hurriedly pressed the desired floor button. Her actions were met with disgruntled groans from the surrounding men and women, but, as before, she paid little attention to their swears and words.

As the elevator crept higher, she scanned her identification and waited for the artificial intelligence to load. "JARVIS," she said, "I know you can hear me. Where's Pepper?"

_"Miss Potts is in her office, Dr. Wellington. She is currently meeting with a guest. Shall I alert her to your presence?" _

"No. And Tony? Where is he?"

_"He, too, is meeting with a guest. Shall I-"_

The elevator stopped at the ninetieth floor. The doors opened, and Anna faced the outer hallway of Tony Stark's private floor. Stepping out of the metal cage, the woman moved forward and ignored JARVIS' continuing comments.

She had always loved this particular level. It had recently undergone severe remodelling since Bruce Banner's attack on the God of Lies, and had been redesigned to incorporate a number of newly advanced Stark Industries prototypes - Anna's favourite being the gallery of Iron Man suits.

Her eyes travelled around the floor, finding the lounge, bar, and board rooms devoid of Stark and Pepper.

"JARVIS, where's Tony?"

_"He is in his office, Dr. Wellington. Master Stark is-"_

"Thanks, JARVIS," murmured Anna, drowning out the rest of the AI's speech as she turned on her heel and marched over to the two double doors leading into Stark's private office. She slid her identification card through the scanner and hurriedly tapped in the security code - a combination of Stark's birthdate and the day he met a certain CEO.

The security system beeped as it came to life, and Anna heard the doors click open. Outstretching her hands, she pushed open the doors and stepped inside only for her eyes to widen in surprise and confusion; for in front of her, opposite Stark and Peppers, seated in the custom-made black leather seats, were three very familiar faces.

Steve.

Fury.

And Coulson.

* * *

**AN: Let me begin by saying this story and/or chapter has given me numerous headaches over the past few weeks. **

**I had all of Chapter 19 written… and then my MacBook died. As such, I have had this chapter re-written and saved on my phone since the start of October (and typing a story on a BlackBerry is not an easy task…). **

**Ch. 19 was turning out to be 6,000 words, and there was no stopping point. I decided to split the chapter in half, and give you this half first whilst I'm still working on the second half.**

**And, as an apology for the wait, here's a sneak peek at the next chapter:**

"Anna?" called the redhead, gesturing for the younger female to follow her to the opposite side of the room. Virginia Potts smiled down at the brunette and gently grabbed a hold of her wrist. "Anna, honey," she said, lips moving minutely from behind the crystal glass, "you're glaring holes into the back of that woman's head."

Straightening her posture, Anna turned so she faced the group. She watched as Jane and Steve conversed, the astrophysicist's laughter ringing out around the room. Anna closed her eyes and tore her gaze away from the pair. "No. I'm not," countered the analyst, shaking her head. "Because doing that would imply that I have feelings for Steve-"

"Which you do," slipped in Potts, smiling.

"Which I _don't,_" said Anna, fighting off the rogue blush that crept up her neck as her eyes met the CEO's brazen grin. She glanced back over at the super-soldier to find him still laughing and talking with the other brunette. "He's _Captain America." _And she frowned. "Besides," she muttered. "He's with Jane."

**Please Review! I'd love to know what you think . ~ LittleApril**


	20. Chapter 20

**Recruited - Chapter Twenty**

She stared at each of the men in turn, her jaw slackened in poorly disguised surprise, question after question flooding her thought process. How did this happen?_ How could this happen?_ SHIELD Agent Phil Coulson was dead. He had died at Loki's hands. He had died protecting her and the rest of New York City. He had died a hero's death. He was the catalyst.

The woman shook her head, her grip on the doorframe tight, the colouring of skin around her knuckles fading. Anna Wellington had always prided herself on her ability to steel her expression, her ability to fake coolness under pressure; it was what had got her through interview after interview, debate after debate. But now, faced with what appeared to be walking-dead secret Government-approved agents, these abilities were no more.

"Anna-," began Stark, rising from his seat. The technological giant straightened his tie - an awkward habit Anna had picked up on years before. He held out his hand, gesturing to the analyst to remain calm.

Her glare bit at his words. She took a step backward. "Don't," she cut in, still shaking her head, "don't tell me to keep calm. Don't you dare, Tony." She huffed out a quick, forced breath.

The billionaiire nodded his head and lowered his hand, watching his employee with careful, calculating eyes. He tugged at the front of his suit jacket, smoothing out the creases, preparing himself for the aftermath. He gestured to the analyst to take a seat, but she remained standing. "Suit yourself," said Stark, sinking back into his own chair. He turned to Fury, a cold expression on his face. "Do you want to tell her or should I?"

Fury remained still in his seat. He stared at Stark with a hard look before his one good eye swept across the room to focus on the analyst. "It had to be done." Five simple words without hint of an apology.

"That's it?" hissed Anna, still in disbelief. Coulson had yet to say a word, but she watched as the man's chest rose and fell with each breath he took. _Definitely alive. _A low growl worked its way up her throat. She looked from Coulson to Stark, and from Stark to Pepper. The imposing redhead had yet to say anything, her rosy lips pursed in displeasure. Fury was as composed as ever and Steve… Steve's gaze was locked on the analyst's form. Forcing herself to swallow, to stop the venomous words wanting to escape her throat, Anna averted her eyes and glared down at the floor.

Coulson shifted in his seat and he spoke directly to Steve and Stark. "We had to find a way to get you to work together as a team. At this point, Dr. Wellington, you had exited the helicarrier with Loki. Only the Director and Agent Hill knew of my true status. They worked together in assembling the Avengers-"

"Lied, you mean," interrupted Tony, sending a glare in the direction of the Agent. His eyes flickered back to the analyst. _He was worried, _realised Anna with a bite to her thoughts. _Good. Let him be._

Like Potts, Anna pursed her lips though none of her anger deflated. She turned to Stark. "You mean you had no idea he was alive?"

"I avenged his _death_, Annie. I had no idea he was hiding underground in one of SHIELD's safe houses-"

"You're saying," began Fury, one thick black brow raised, "had you have known of Agent Coulson's surival, you would have done it differently?"

Stark paid the director no mind, looking back at his employee. "You're looking a little weak there, sunshine. Take a seat. I'll get you a glass of water." Stark rose from his seat, taking two long strides toward the water cooler and filled a glass with the clear liquid. He handed it to the brunette, watching as she took three slow sips.

The water was freezing and it tickled and burned her throat all at once. Wiping her mouth with her fingers, Anna clutched the glass with all of the strength she could muster. There was something about being in this office, with Fury, Coulson, and Steve, that made her feel caged. She was trapped beneath the large mahogany desk and three of the fiercest men she knew. And, before she could stop the oncoming flight mechanism, she rushed from the office and out into the corridor, her breathing fast and forced.

With one hand pressed up against the glass walls of Stark's main floor, Anna's body jerked as she heaved.

* * *

She wasn't sure how long she had stayed outside the Stark Industries tower. She rested as she sat upon the paved square surrounding the building, her feet tucked up in front of her, her knees pressed tightly against her chest, her arms folded toward her to keep warm. For all she knew, it could have been hours. Thousands of passersby paid her no mind, each lost in their own little world filled with their own problems and demons. And in her world, in Anna Wellington's mixed up world, her demons manifested in the form of unhinged Norse Gods.

Anna closed her eyes and tried to keep calm, but pictures of blue blood trickling down her arm had her eyes snapping open once more.

"Anna?"

She didn't have to look up to know the voice belonged to Steve Rogers. His voice held a timeless quality, a politeness the typical New Yorker lacked. She felt the soldier sit beside her, felt his warmth as his broad physique sat beside her.

"Mm?" she hummed, her voice low. She recognised the familiar tremble and knew that soon the tears would follow.

Steve heaved a sigh, and, when Anna raised her head to look at him, he was staring out at the sea of people surrounding Stark square. "I'm not good with words," admitted the soldier, his voice displaying his unease. "I fumble with them and more often that not say the wrong thing. But if you need…" Here, Steve paused and turned to face the analyst, a serious stare cast upon his face. "If you need anyone, to talk to or to confide in, I will always be here to be that person."

Before she could speak, before she could thank him, because no one other than Stark had ever been so warm and welcoming toward her, Steve continued his speech.

"I would like to be that person." He was looking away again, blue eyes captured on the nameless faces that wandered below the towering skyscrapers. "But only if you let me."

Her words took the man by surprise. "It must be horrible to be so lonely," she mused, her voice quiet, now seeing more of Steve Rogers' true self than she had done during their time at SHIELD. It was both beautiful and frightening all at once. The words _feels like yesterday_ echoed through her mind, and Anna bit her lip. She felt foolish. Her words held an insulting lilt to them; a reminder of Steve's isolation. She didn't know how the man would react to her scathing murmur.

"It is," Steve admitted, bowing his head. "But at least I'm not the only one."

His words pierced her chest. It felt as though tiny knives were embedded into her flesh, each sting more painful than the last. Anna had never admitted her fears to anyone - not even herself. She pushed back her fear of constantly being alone through her work. With Stark in her life, she would never be alone. She had work and projects to oversee, numbers to decode, sequences to analyse. And with a shaky breath, she nodded her head once in admission. "I guess not," mumbled Anna, unfolding her arms. She lost the rigidness with which she had been sitting, and placed her hands on her knees. "I don't suppose you're going to the SHIELD and Stark event?"

"Fury invited me."

"Good," said Anna, a slight smile on her face. "Because I have a feeling I'll be needing all the friends I've got tonight."

She watched as he laughed at her joke and acceptance, and she found herself wishing that Steve would lose some of his rigidness too.

* * *

_"Welcome to Manhattan Central News! Tonight, all eyes are on the Stark Industries tower as it hosts its first Avengers Press Panel and Ball! The legendary Tony Stark, owner of the Iron Man Suit, always throws a memorable party, and this one is to be attended by back-on-the-scene super-soldier Captain America! Our war correspondant, Mark Callahan, is there from the red and gold carpet leading toward the tower. Mark, what can you tell us?" _

"Oh, shut up," hissed Anna, snatching the remote controller from the coffee table. She switched the television off with a haughty sigh and glanced around her apartment in displeasure. "Red and gold carpet?" she repeated, mimicking the reporter's words. "How very original, Tony."

A fleeting look at the grandfather clock in the far corner of the room, a family heirloom, told her it was now eight o'clock in the evening. She was supposed to have been at the event two hours ago. Untroubled by this, Anna stared down at the black dress she wore with silent contemplation. The dress had belonged to her mother. It was the colour of jet and touched the floor, a high slit stopping at mid-thigh on the left leg. The dress, though not terribly revealing, made her feel exposed to the world. And yet, after her earlier conversation with Steve, the analyst didn't mind so much. If Stark wanted her at the ball, she would go. But she would go on _her_ terms. Not his.

And beneath the dress, instead of heels, she wore a pair of tattered old black pumps. The pair of pumps Stark had told her relentlessly to get rid of, but Anna vouched that they were her comfiest pair of shoes, the shoes that had commuted from her family home to the NYU campus for years, and that she would never throw them away.

The sound of her phone buzzing on the kitchen counter top interrupted her thoughts. She picked up the smart phone and glanced down at the new message.

_Where are you? - T x_

Grabbing her purse, another accessory of her late mother's, Anna hastily tapped back a message before exiting her apartment.

_On my way._

* * *

Like with Steve, Anna heard the roar of the crowds and party-goers before she saw them. Exiting the Midtown tube station, Anna wrapped the black jacket she wore around her frame a little tighter, ignoring the interested glances from passersby.

Stark Tower loomed in front of her in all its ninety-three-floor glory. The lights of the building flashed from gold to red, and Anna wrinkled her nose in distaste. "How very subtle of you, Tony," she muttered, marching toward the building. She walked past the onlookers gathered outside the lobby, and flashed her ID at a familiar face.

"How're you doing, Dr. Wellington?" said James Hill, smiling his signature wide grin. Instead of his usual suit and tie, the man wore a bow-tie and matching black tuxedo.

"James!" smiled Anna, pleasantly surprised. She hadn't seen the man in weeks, and recently found out through Kimberly Poll that the man's wife had given birth to their fourth child. "Congratulations on the little one. Have you thought of names?"

"Oh, of course! Hannah gave birth the day after the Avengers attack happened. We were at one of the hospitals outside Brooklyn." A short pause. "We named him Steven James."

"Steven?" repeated Anna, testing the name out in her thoughts. _Steven James Hill_.

"After Captain America. Did you know he was born in Brooklyn? I thought he was just some comic book hero, but turns out the comics were based on him. One of the nurses told us. She's an intern, and she works at one of the cafes just outside this place. Captain America saved her and my brother, Phil's, life. He was close by and was crowded into a bank by some of the aliens. Steve Rogers saved him. And that's why we called our son Steven."

"That's…," Anna struggled to find the appropriate word. She settled with the following. "I'm sure Steve Rogers would be flattered." A teasing smile flashed across her face. "I'm just glad you didn't go with 'Anthony'."

"No, ma'am," laughed Hill. "Stark doesn't pay me enough for that. You go on in and enjoy yourself, Anna. If you need anything, just shout."

Still smiling, Anna slipped past the security team and into the congested lobby. She weaved in and out of the crowds of people and looked toward the stage where one of the city's upcoming bands performed alongside the Manhattan Orchestra. A flute of champagne was handed to her, and she took a slow sip, recognising many of the faces as those who worked on the Research and Development floors. She spied the tables set up in the ground floor drawing rooms, and she stalked toward them, easing past the groups of ball attendees.

Before she could sit, she was instructed to consult the seating plan. Rolling her eyes at the man's rudeness, he was evidently part of the catering committee and not one of Stark's employees, Anna's eyes surveyed the seating plan. Each name was embroidered in the ivory silk canvas with glittering silver thread. It took the analyst a few short seconds to scan the sheet, and when she found her name, she was pleasantly surprised.

Because at the head of the tables, nestled at the front of the room, next to _Anna Jean Wellington_ was _Steven Joseph Rogers._

And opposite was _Anthony Stark_ and _Virginia J. Potts._

"I see you made it," announced a voice behind her, and Anna turned to find Stark standing beside her, his tuxedo as black as her dress, his bow-tie crooked and a warm golden colour. His eyes swept over her. "And look at you," continued Stark, smiling wider now. "You look beautiful, Annie."

"You don't look so bad either," complimented the analyst, eyeing his stubble. "When was the last you shaved?" she asked.

"If that dress didn't have that slit, I would've asked you the same thing," Stark's eyed widened as he teased his employee. His brow furrowed. "I recognise that dress. It was-"

"My mother's," finished Anna, nodding her head, knowing that Stark would've seen the dress in countless photos of her family. "It was gathering dust in my closet. It seemed like an appropriate choice. "

For what seemed like a millisecond, Stark's expression softened. "Well, you definitely made the right decision. Pepper is around here somewhere. She's entertaining Coulson. I might have done something-"

Anna refrained from rolling her eyes at his words. "What did you do?"

Taking ahold of the woman's shoulders, Stark turned her to face the makeshift stage. The orchestra had struck up another timeless classic. "You see the blonde? The cellist? Well, -"

"Tony," scolded Anna, putting two and two together. "Don't tell me she's the cellist Coulson was involved with."

Stark merely smiled.

"You're impossible."

"No, I'm just excellent at playing cupid. And if I ever need a bow and arrow, Barton is now just one call away from Stark Industries-"

"Speaking of your cupid persona," cut in Anna, stopping the man from making some lewd joke about Barton and the messenger of love. She jabbed her finger at the seating plan. "Why is Steve sitting with us?"

He raised his brows. "I thought you liked Steve."

Anna frowned, her annoyance getting the better of her. "I do like Steve. I consider him a friend. But why was my private cell number programmed into his Stark Industries phone?"

Stark shrugged his shoulders and grabbed two more flutes of champagne from a passing waiter. "Ask JARVIS. He's the one who programmed the numbers."

"And he'd only programme in the numbers you'd tell him to," confronted the petite brunette, ever impatient. "Tony-"

"Hold this," said Stark, handing her a second glass flute so her hands were full. He paused and cocked his head to the right, seemingly listening for something. "Is that Pepper calling my name? Something about the catering staff not presenting the cherries in concentric circles?" He winked at his employee. "I'll be right back-"

"No. You won't!" called Anna, rolling her eyes at his behaviour. Placing the still full glass flute on the table closest to her, she took a second sip of her glass and gazed around the room, Stark having vanished in the sea of people.

_This was going to be a long night._

* * *

_9.30pm. Main Ballroom. Stark Industries Tower, Manhattan. _

The last hour had passed by in a blur. Anna had met Jane Foster for a second time, the bumbling brunette scientist dressed in a flattering red gown that accentuated her slim frame. The two had conversed quietly, Jane admitting that she and her team had not found any further information relating to Loki's 'gift' to the analyst. Their conversation was halted by the arrival of Steve Rogers, his presence most welcome. Anna wasn't entirely sure how long she would have been able to stand listening to Jane go on and on about the "rainbow bridge" of Asgard and of Thor's people. Though it was an interesting topic, the manner with which Jane relayed the information was fast-paced and relentless. Anna idly wondered when the woman would pause to take a breath.

"Steve, this is Jane Foster," Anna introduced the two, gesturing with the palm of her hand. "Jane is an astrophysicist. She and Thor met last year when Thor was cast out of Asgard." Pausing for effect, Anna then introduced Steve to Jane. "This is Steve Rogers. You might know him by his other name-"

"Captain America," interrupted Jane, nodding her head. She smiled at him, flashing her pearly whites. "I've heard a lot about you."

Steve nodded his head with a short smile, his eyes drinking in the sight of the two women. "It's nice to meet you," said Steve, tucking his hands inside his suit jacket pockets.

"And you, too," said Jane, still smiling.

"Well," said Anna, now feeling out of place. She clutched her empty glass and sighed in relief, thankful for the excuse. "I better go get this topped up," she said, and she excused herself, pushing past the multitude of people nearby.

"Anna," called Steve, and she turned, surprised. Steve followed her, apologising to Jane Foster, and fell into step beside the analyst. "Is everything OK?"

"Yes." The word left her mouth before she could stop it. "Of course."

"Mind if I join you, then?"

And for some reason, Anna found herself wanting to push him away. _What was wrong with her?_ The man had done nothing wrong. He had acted like a gentlemen. He had smiled at Jane Foster with nothing but graciousness and good intent. So why was that notion tugging at her insides and pulling at her chest? The realisation hit her hard and fast, and she stopped moving. She wasn't sure when it had happened, why it had happened, or how it had happened, but somehow, somewhere along the way, she had started to realise her greater than platonic feelings for Steve Rogers. And the realisation scared her.

Perhaps it was his strength and determination. Perhaps it was his protective instinct. Or perhaps it was because his one weapon was a _shield_ of all things. Whatever it was, it had sent her mind reeling. "No, I…" She fumbled for an excuse. "I had to meet with Tony. It was urgent. We arranged it for now. I'm sorry, Steve. I'll be back. I just… I have to go. Tony's probably waiting on me." And with that, she left the man standing at the entrance of the ballroom, unknowing that Steve's eyes followed her every move, and that the super-soldier was acutely aware of Tony Stark moving in the opposite direction toward the soldier.

* * *

She was hiding in the ladies' restroom. She sat upon the marble sink countertop, her back pressed up against the off-white marble tiles, her purse forgotten on the floor. Anna rested her forehead on the cool surface of the tiles, hoping it would help alleviate some of the confusion she was experiencing. _Why him?_ she wondered, closing her eyes. _Why Steve Rogers? _Memories of previous conversations flooded her thoughts.

_"I was wondering if you're doing anything on Thursday. _

_There's something I wanted to do. _

_And I was wondering if you'd want to do it with me. _

_It's just… there's someone I'd like you to meet."_

Anna twisted the faucet and watched as the water trickled from the tap. Rinsing her hands, she jumped down from the counter top and stared at her reflection in the ornate mirror. Her face was paler than usual with no colour or warmth in her cheeks. Her chocolate hair was curled into a top knot at the back of her head, and the thin straps of the dress clung to the tops of her shoulders. The material of the dress shimmered in the artificial lighting, and she smoothed down the fabric with the back of her hand.

The sound of a hard object vibrating on the gloss floor shook her out of her thinking. Picking up her purse, Anna salvaged her phone.

_Meet me at R&D. We need to talk. - T._

* * *

Though she was now in charge of the Research and Development floors, Anna still felt out of place in this area of the tower. Before, she had had little to do with Research and Development, having been closed off on her own floor. The six floors devoted to R and D were interconnected by twelve stairwells and four elevators, two of them private. The two closed off elevators required additional login and security clearance that was only granted to Pepper, Anna, and Stark himself.

"JARVIS, lights," whispered Anna, knowing the AI could hear her. After the attack on the city, Stark had had JARVIS installed on all of the renovated floors, to be voice activated when needed.

Within seconds, the lights of the floors flickered on. Anna walked forward as she spotted Stark stood by the glass wall, overlooking the lights of the city.

"You texted," she began, wondering what this was all about. Why was Stark missing out on his big gala? What could be so important? "I came."

Stark didn't bother to turn. "How're you feeling?"

Anna raised her brows. "Is this what you called me up here for? To see how I'm doing? I could've answered that in a text."

"Anna," said Stark, now facing her. And from the look on his face, she knew this wasn't the time for wit or jokes. "How're you feeling?"

"I'm fine-"

"No. You're not fine. You say that you are, hoping that one day you'll wake up and believe it, but you're not OK, Annie. And you need to admit that to yourself." Stark folded his arms atop the metal railing and sighed. "I used to do the exact same thing. After Afghanistan, I told myself I was fine. I tried my hardest to believe it, but nothing was 'fine'. I was most definitely not 'fine'. Something changed. And it took me months to realise what that change was. And when I realised, when I admitted that change to myself, only then could I move on."

Anna bowed her head, unused to hearing Stark's inner thoughts. "And did you?"

Stark shrugged his shoulder in a half-hearted manner. "Not at first. I thought if I cut it all out, all of this, all of Stark Ind., I could move on. That's why I decided to stop making weapons. I wanted to get away from it all."

"And now?"

"And now," continued Stark, heaving a sigh. He seemed to be building up the courage to speak. "And now I have the nightmares."

Anna's heart stopped at the revelation. She felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. Anthony Stark had always been her rock, he had always known what to do, he had always faced battle and come out on top. And the man had nightmares. He was admitting his innermost thoughts. He was telling her his fears. "Nightmares?" Her voice had been reduced to a whisper.

"Nothing has been the same since New York. You experience things, and then they're over. I put on a good front, Annie. I do my best to fool people. To fool Rhodes, Pepper, and you. But then I realise that you're doing the same thing. You're hiding behind this mask you've built. We're scarred." His gaze flickered down to the blue lines running down the analyst's arm. "Some more than others. But we all have our battle scars.

"And at the root of it all is this… I can't sleep. And when I do, when I _finally_ fall asleep, I have nightmares. And I'm not talking childish fears. I'm talking about gut-wrenching visions that tear me from my sleep and warp my mind. I'm experiencing things I don't want to experience, things I wouldn't wish on anyone. And they frighten me more than anything." Stark paused. He took a deep breath. "Honestly? There's a hundred people who want to kill me. There's thousands of beings of God-knows-what wanting to kill me. I just hope I can protect those I care about… to protect the one person I can't live without."

"Pepper loves you, Tony. The best thing you ever did was let her in."

At this, Stark smiled to himself. It was a small smile, but it was genuine. "Anna, I know. I know you're scared. But it has to stop. Because I'm not just your employer, Anna. I'm your friend. I know you don't like to let people in. And maybe… Maybe it won't work out. Maybe, someday, you two part. And maybe it's painful. Maybe it's not. But you're not going to know if you hide behind these walls. You're a brave woman, Annie. Let it show. Let him in."

She couldn't speak. Her voice was lost in the emotion caught on her face. Nodding once, twice, Anna turned from her friend and made to walk away, silently thanking her friend for his words. She didn't have to voice her gratitude aloud. Stark knew. He always knew.

"And Anna?"

She turned to face her friend, tears trapped beneath her eyelids. "Yes?"

"And if it doesn't work out, you know that I'll be here. I won't leave you."

"Thank you, Tony."

"Any time, kiddo."

* * *

Reeling from her friend's words, Anna entered the ballroom and realised that the dinner portion of the evening was over. Thankful that she didn't have to stay alone with Steve for lengthened periods of time for she didn't quite know how to act around him, she pushed herself toward the edge of the room and grabbed a third glass of champagne.

She was so far gone into her thoughts, she jumped in surprise as she heard her name being shouted.

"Anna?" called the redhead, gesturing for the younger female to follow her to the opposite side of the room. Virginia Potts smiled down at the brunette and gently grabbed ahold of her wrist. "Anna, honey," she said, lips moving minutely from behind the crystal glass, "you're glaring holes into the back of that woman's head."

Straightening her posture, Anna turned so she faced the group. She watched as Jane and Steve conversed, the astrophysicist's laughter ringing out around the room. Anna closed her eyes and tore her gaze away from the pair. "No. I'm not," countered the analyst, shaking her head. "Because doing that would imply that I have feelings for Steve-"

"Which you do," slipped in Potts, smiling.

"Which I _don't,_" said Anna, fighting off the blush that crept up her neck as her eyes met the CEO's brazen grin. She lost her inner battle and sighed, ignoring the catlike grin Potts now sported. She glanced back over at the super-soldier to find him still laughing and talking with the other brunette. "He's _Captain America."_

"And?"

"And I'm a senior analyst-"

"For Tony Stark."

"-and I have been branded by a God."

Potts raised a strawberry blonde brow. "And what makes you think Miss Foster is good enough for Steve?"

Anna stared at Potts, exasperated. "Because she's good enough for a _god_, Pepper."

"A god that was cast out from his realm because of his arrogance. Steve Rogers is all charm and, above all, he is a gentlemen. And you are more than good enough for Steve Rogers. Besides, you don't see what Tony and I see."

"What do you see?"

Potts smiled, holding the rim of the champagne-filled glass flute to her lips. "I see that each time you look away, his eyes are trained on you. He may be talking and forcing laughter with Jane and Selvig, but his mind is with you."

The brunette looked sceptical. "His mind?"

"Oh, yes," teased Potts, smiled still in place, taking a sip of her champagne. "He's looking for an opening," continued the redhead. "He's watching us. He's waiting for you to break away from your comfort zone so he can approach you."

"You're mocking me," guessed the analyst, clutching her own glass flute with a tighter grip. There was no way on this Earth that Steve Rogers could return her new found feelings. It was practically impossible.

"See for yourself."

Turning, Anna's eyes swept over the room till they fell upon the super-soldier. She immediately averted her eyes from his gaze which was fixed on her form. "_I thought you were kidding_."

"No," smiled Potts. "And that's my cue to leave-"

"What?" hissed Anna, stepping forward, blocking the woman's exit. "No. I need… I need air. I need some air." And as before, the analyst rushed from the room, too overcome with her thoughts and Steve's relentless gaze.

* * *

Déjà vu. Anna found herself sitting outside of Stark Tower, curled up by the curb. A glance at her phone told her it was nearing one o'clock in the morning, and the party was still ongoing. There was something about a Stark Industries party that had everyone going till the early hours of the morning.

She tilted her head so it rested on her shoulder and stared out at the nightlife of Midtown: people rushed up and down the tube steps, shop owners and cafe staff began to close for the night, and New York businessmen and women still arrived at Stark Tower. She was so busy people watching, she hadn't noticed Steve Rogers creep up beside her.

"Dr. Wellington?" came the soldier's voice, startling the woman out of her thoughts.

She looked up to find Steve by the doors, his black suit jacket flapping in the cool Manhattan breeze. "Hi, Steve."

"How long have you been out here?" he asked, taking the space next to her on the curb.

"A little over twenty-minutes," admitted Anna, shaking her head with a small smile as she declined Steve's offer of his suit jacket. She gestured to the styrofoam cup of coffee in her hands. "The doormen are very good to me," she joked, trying to alleviate some of the unease between the two.

Steve offered her a short laugh. He stared out at the street opposite, watching as the daisy-yellow taxis and sleek black limousines passed.

"Do you want a coffee?" asked Anna.

He shook his head. "Caffiene doesn't affect me. A side-effect of the transformation."

"But it should still warm you up," countered Anna, and she signalled to the on-site doormen to bring a second cup. "You're not used to having people wait on you, are you?" she guessed, watching his facial features.

"No. Not really."

"It's not something you really ever get used to," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders. And then her ramble began. It was all she could do to keep from blurting out her true feelings. "When I first started working here, for Stark Industries, Tony assigned me my very own personal assistant. He even had him pick up my groceries and do my laundry if needed. After a week, I told Tony I didn't need an assistant. I needed to do those mundane, adult things to keep me sane. It kept me grounded. And working alone kept my brain active."

"Do you enjoy it?"

She cocked her head to the side, confused. "Do I enjoy what?"

"Being alone."

Anna sighed. _Now or never,_ called Tony's voice in her head. "Yes and no. I like the quiet. I like knowing where I stand in life and with people. But it has its downsides. It is lonely."

"I've been back in the world for just under ten months," said Steve, shaking his head, echoes of their previous conversation understood between the two. "And I've never felt more alone. Everyone and everything I knew and loved is gone."

"It must've been terrible."

"It was," admitted Steve. "But then I met SHIELD and they put me back in the game. They gave me a purpose."

"And what is your purpose, Steve?"

He smiled. "To do what I can for the country I love and the people I care about. I fight to save lives."

Anna nodded her head. "It must be nice," she commented, "knowing that you're on a winning team."

"Believe me," muttered Steve, staring off to the side as cars pulled up outside the building, the pools of rain water reflecting the blinking lights of the SUVs. "I lost a lot of fights."

"That I find hard to believe," murmured Anna, and at Steve's look, she relented. "But I suppose I can ask you about them another day."

Steve nodded. "And what about you?"

"What about me?"

Steve stared at her with interest. "What is your purpose?"

Without having to think, she answered. "To learn. I've always loved learning. I've always enjoyed sharing knowledge with people. To learn about history and its repurcussions. A lot of people don't want to listen. They're too busy thinking of the future. They're not bothered about the past. Tony is one of them."

"Well," said Steve, and his tone was lighter than it had been, a small smile on his face, "you're looking at a man who's missing out on seventy years worth of history. Fury gave me some videotapes, but…" He left his sentence unfinished, giving the analyst the opening she had been silently searching for.

Anna bit her lip and nodded her head. "I'd like to help."

"Thank you." And without warning, Steve jumped to his feet, holding out his hand to the analyst as the first drops of rain began to fall. "We better get inside. You'll get sick."

"Hey, Steve?"

"Yes?"

Anna closed her eyes and stood on her tip-toes, having to lean up to press her lips against his. It was a chaste kiss, one filled with sentiment and innocence, and it both frightened and excited the analyst. She pulled away, gaging the man's reaction. She was rewarded with an intense stare, and his lips upon hers once more.

* * *

**6000 words typed on an iPhone. Apologies for the mass two-month delay - life has been v. hectic! I had a promotion at work and have started working 58hr weeks, and am now thoroughly exhausted. This chapter has given me such a headache - I didn't quite know where to end it. **

**Recruited will have just** _two_** more chapters to go! A sequel will be posted once Iron Man 3 is released, and the third story in the series once Captain America: the Winter Soldier is released. Aren't you excited?! **

**Please tell me what you think! I'd love to hit 1000 reviews before this story is over. Thanks, again, to everyone who continues to read this story. I'm hoping to start a new Steve/OC story, if you're interested, let me know in the reviews! **

**Please Review! **

**~ LittleApril**


	21. Chapter 21

**Recruited - Chapter Twenty-One**

_Though bold merely minutes ago, Anna's confidence had plummeted once Steve had looked away, staring at the structure of Stark Industries with an indescribable look cast upon his face. His jaw was set, cheeks hardly dusted with a blush, and his eyes searched the building before him. _

_"Maybe that was a bit much," she conceded, watching the soldier, carefully trying to read his thoughts. "I don't often go kissing men on the steps of my workplace-"_

_"I'd hope not." _

_And that was that. _

_It was the tone of his voice. Anna looked up to find the man smiling with a teasing grin, and all she could think was that this, this man before her, was Steve Rogers. Not Captain America. No uniform clad hero. This was Steve. Just Steve. _

_Anna nodded and ducked her head, trying to avoid the blush that was threatening to creep across the apples of her cheeks. What was happening to her? She was acting like a schoolgirl. Perhaps it was the alcohol? That had to be it. She ran a quick hand through her hair. "Well," she started, wondering what to say next. "I don't suppose you fancy-"_

_"Going back in there?" finished Steve, shaking his head. His eyes had yet to leave the analyst's face. "Can't say that I do."_

_She bit her lip. _

_But it was Steve who offered a resolution. "Hungry?" he asked. "I think that Shwarma place Stark had us go to is still open."_

_"You had Shwarma with Tony? Why didn't I ever hear about this?" She fell into step beside the man, blinking in surprise. _

_And for a moment, the two allowed themselves to forget the rest of the world, the Stark Industries gala, and the blue lines that grew bolder with each passing night. _

* * *

If there was one thing Anna had learnt from her military background, it was routine. Growing up in her family home, she and her family had stuck to a very rigid schedule. Family meals in the evening, outings to the city on the weekends, museum and gallery visits on holidays. Never too interested in the arts, Anna had often detested the trips. But, after the death of her parents, and since Patrick's move to Chicago, the traditions had held her together. She now frequented the museums alone, staring at the same statues and artworks that she had first viewed as a child.

And with Steve, she found comfort in his routine. In _their _routine.

Weeks had passed since the attack on the city, and the streaks of blue remained on her flesh. Anna had spoken to Jane Foster and Dr. Selvig in greater detail, often hosting video conferences via the board room on the top Research and Development floor. Stark Industries' relationship with Dr. Bruce Banner had flourished, and it wasn't unusual to hear reports from Stark detailing his and Banner's ongoing conversations and research topics.

Virginia "Pepper" Potts had remained in Manhattan with Stark. The CEO had designed and watched over the remodelling of the skyscraper, many of the redesigned floor-plans locked away in pass-coded electronic files and flash-drives. If she had wanted to, Anna would have hacked the codes and spied on the designs, but it was of little interest to her. If it would affect her or her work, Potts would tell her.

And Stark…

Stark had become withdrawn, often retreating to the lower floors of the tower, working on new designs and technologies.

"He's holed himself down there again," murmured Potts, clutching the porcelain white mug in her hands. "I'm worried about him, Anna. He's not himself."

Another Tuesday in Midtown. A dull ache nagged at the analyst's head, but she persevered and carried on with her work. With a frown on her face as she stared at the digital figures, Anna used her fingertips to pull the numbers away from the screen, holograms glittering blue and green in the air, before crumpling them into a ball and flicking them into the virtual trash can. Having heard her friend's concerns, Anna bowed her head and plucked the extra cup of caffeine from the redhead's hands.

"None of us are," replied the analyst, shaking her head. She tried to soften her words with a tight smile. "A war will do that. We fought and… it wasn't a clean win. I can't even begin to imagine what it must've been like for him. He left our world, Pepper."

The older woman hummed and sighed. Approaching the next strand of conversation, she murmured, "I have to return to LA in a few days. Can you believe I'm still sorting out the mess from Stane?" Another sigh. "You'll keep an eye on him for me, won't you?"

"Of course," said Anna. "Just like you're keeping an eye on me for him."

"And you on me," smiled Potts.

"What a little dysfunctional family we are," muttered Anna, rolling her eyes, well aware of the smile Potts was sending her.

"And how's Steve?" A knowing smile slipped over the older woman's face.

"He's fine," retorted Anna, wiping away the graphs displayed on the glass tablet. "SHIELD want to use him as a lab rat. They want to see if they can recreate the serum that made him "Captain America"." An e-mail alert sounded and the analyst swiped the screen once more and hastily read the message. "And Fury would like to meet with me and Tony tomorrow afternoon. Fantastic."

"You know you use sarcasm far too much, right?" smiled Potts.

Anna rolled her eyes. "Never would've guessed."

A gentle smile fell across Potts' lips. "Are you and Steve heading to the museum tonight?"

The brunette shook her head, pushing away the loose wayward strands of hair. "Not tonight. Tonight's a documentary on the 1950s. We're still working our way through the decades."

"Alright," hummed Potts, placing her now empty mug on the glass coffee table. "Well," she said, starting to leave, "have fun. Tell Steve I said "Hi'."

"Will do," promised Anna, turning back to her displays.

The CEO left the Research and Development department, leaving Anna to her glass screens and figures. It was nearing three o'clock in the afternoon, and she had already e-mailed and messaged her findings to Stark and the other researchers. She worked for the remainder of the afternoon, pausing only to graph and display her findings. An hour later, Steve had arrived at the tower, raising his hand in greeting as the woman continued to work.

The soldier sat down upon one of the cream couches, having pilfered one of the books from the coffee table. It was a detailed account of the aftermath of the war, a volume Anna had quoted many times in her dissertation.

It was six o'clock in the evening when she finally ceased working, the shrill ring of her phone interrupting her thought process.

"Anna Wellington," she said, holding the phone to her ear as she grabbed her third cup of coffee with her left hand. She smiled slightly as Steve looked at her, his face contorted into apparent curiosity.

_"Anna?"_

She dropped the paper cup in surprise at the familiar voice, but Steve deftly saved it from hitting the ground. The hot liquid stayed trapped beneath the plastic lid, and Anna mouthed an apology to the hero. He merely waved it away, facial features morphed into confusion at the look upon the analyst's face.

"Patrick?" she murmured, biting her lip. She hadn't spoken to her half-brother in years.

_"Hey,"_ the deep voice rumbled down the line, and Anna could picture her stocky brother dressed in one of his suits and ties, glasses placed precariously upon his face. _"Long time no talk."_

"I guess so. Is everything OK? It's not like you to call."

_"I have some bad news, Anna. And I hate to break it to you on the phone, but it's important that you know. Have you seen the news?"_

She shook her head even though she knew her brother couldn't see it. "I work for Anthony Stark, Patrick. I loathe the news."

_"OK,"_ breathed the man, and Anna knew he was trying to find the right words. _"Do you remember when you were young, after Dad passed away, we stayed with his friends in-"_

"George?"

_"He was killed, Anna. An animal attack."_

"What?"

_"He was mortally wounded. I received the call this morning. The funeral is to be held in a few days. I'm coming back to New York tomorrow afternoon. A night flight." _A pause._ "I know it's been years since we last spoke to the family, but George looked after us at the funerals. I want to do the same for his family. I want us to do the same."_

"Of course. Of course," repeated Anna, at a loss for words. A lump had risen in her throat, and she couldn't fight it. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

_"I'll call as soon as I'm able to. As soon as I've found a hotel and got a car-" _

She ran a shaking hand through her hair. "No need. I'll get us a car from the building. Tony won't mind-"

_"If you're certain."_

"I am."

_"OK. I'll see you tomorrow. And Anna? Dress smart, OK? You know what these people are like."_

"I'll see you tomorrow, Patrick."

The line crackled and trickled into nothing.

"Anna?" It was Steve's voice that brought her to the present, and he hesitantly reached forward, his long fingertips gently stroking the skin on her wrists. "Everything alright?"

"No," muttered the analyst, still in shock. She pulled out her phone once more, tapping away at the glass keyboard. She connected the device to her screens, and images and news reports flooded the displays. Each report said the same thing.

_Captain George Stacy, of New York City Police Dept., mortally wounded by wild animal attack. _

* * *

******AN: ****First, let me apologise. I never intended for the wait on Chapter 21 to be so long, but life soon got in the way. **

**I had this chapter written in January, but I hated it. I then deleted it, re-wrote it, and deleted it again. This happened a few more times until I eventually gave up. Why? I had no idea where this story was going in terms of sticking to the plots of the film, and thought that if I waited a little longer, perhaps till the release of Iron Man 3, I'd have more to go on. **

**Well, as most of you know, last year I was lucky enough to get my hands on the script of Marvel's Avengers before the film was released. And, thanks to the same friend, I was shown a sneak peak of Iron Man 3 and given the entire plot of the next sequence in Marvel's cinematic universe. And, let me tell you, we're all going to be blown away!**

**And this is the last chapter of Recruited. But the sequel will be up in May, once Iron Man 3 is released, and that story will primarily flow throughout the events of IM3 with lots of returning characters. It will then be finished once CA: Winter Soldier is released! **

**But, for now, let me say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, favourited and alerted this story. It means so much to me. It's not very often that I ever finish a story, and for me to even contemplate a sequel is quite mind-blowing. So... thank you!**

**Please continue to review on this chapter. It's not the greatest chapter, I know. And I know a lot of you will be wanting more Anna/Steve bits - if you are, check out this story's partner: Patriot. It's from Steve's POV and will cover all of Recruited with missing scenes and more bits and bobs.**

**Again, thank you! Please review - we're nearly at 1000, and I'd love to hit that mark before the sequel is published! **


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